Rotate with Ann Fawssett Atkin
Ann Fawssett Atkin: A Life Painted in Nature, Imagination, and Song
Ann Fawssett Atkin is no ordinary artist. Her life and work form an extraordinary tapestry interwoven with deep reverence for the natural world, a vivid imagination, and an enduring mission to connect people with the beauty and vitality of nature, whether through her intricate bird paintings, her whimsical Gnome Reserve, or her visionary energy art.
A Childhood Rooted in Wonder
Born in 1937 in Sussex, Ann’s early years were steeped in exploration and artistic curiosity. She vividly recalls her first personal garden at age six, where she planted wild celandines beside her father’s workshop. Her fascination with the natural world only deepened with age, especially during her time spent climbing trees, discovering ponds, and observing birds in the fields of Lindfield, moments that would shape her life’s artistic language.
Art, Family, and Antiques
Ann studied art, married fellow artist Ron Atkin, and together they raised two sons. During the 1960s, they ran Strand Antiques in Rye, an adventure blending art, design, and a love of beautiful things. This chapter of their lives was filled with vibrant encounters, from musicians and actors to collectors and creatives, which helped fuel Ann's creative thinking.
The Move to North Devon: A Sanctuary for Creativity
In 1971, the family relocated to a secluded Old Rectory in North Devon. Surrounded by acres of woodland, fields, and wildlife, Ann finally found the time and space to paint in earnest. Her bird paintings, intricate, sensitive, and inspired by the living spirit of each bird, blossomed during this period. She developed a unique technique using conté and layered watercolour washes that gave her work a glowing depth and lyrical precision.
The Gnome Reserve: Art Meets Enchantment
In 1979, Ann’s imaginative world took on a public face with the founding of The Gnome Reserve. What began as a playful idea became a beloved destination, attracting thousands each year. With over a thousand gnomes, a pixie kiln, and a celebrated wildflower garden (home to over 250 species), the Reserve invited people of all ages to reconnect with nature, laugh, and reflect. Visitors wore gnome hats to blend in, a detail both humorous and deeply symbolic of her playful approach to consciousness and community.
Energy Paintings: Beyond the Visual
In later years, Ann’s work evolved again. Her energy paintings are luminous, abstract pieces that express vibrations, rhythms, and bird songs in visual form. Described as portals to deeper dimensions, these paintings are not just visual experiences but meditative journeys, a form of spiritual cartography that reflects her years of thought, practice, and connection with the elemental forces of life.
In her later work, Ann began painting not only the birds themselves but also their songs, interpreting each call as a visual expression of the bird’s character and habitat. A skylark’s song, for example, became a swirling, cloud-like pattern evoking the open sky, while a wren’s trilling took on the dense, intricate texture of a sun-dappled woodland floor
Legacy and Purpose
Ann's artistic mission has always been to inspire love for nature and a shift in consciousness. Proceeds from her art sales go toward land conservation for declining bird species, a full circle return to her roots in birdwatching and environmental stewardship.
In Her Own Words:
“I wanted to give people a new angle on seeing… a way each person, regardless of age, could see everything in Nature as if for the first time, and thus be astonished by it.”
Ann Fawssett Atkin’s work invites us not just to look, but to see, deeply, joyfully, and with wonder.
Artworks are available for purchase, with 100% of sale proceeds going directly to the artist.
For sale enquiries, please contact the artist’s representative - daniellobb@hotmail.co.uk
About the Project
ROTATE is an initiative of the CourtX Community Programme. Artwork is exhibited across the first floor of the pavilion and is rotated throughout the year. The ROTATE programme invites artists to exhibit existing works that showcase a wide range of styles, offering members of the CourtX community an informal and relaxed way to experience art while enjoying the venue’s facilities.
For Artist Enquiries Contact Curator - info@finelineart.com
