Anna Sweet

Raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, above her mother’s art gallery, Sweet and her eight siblings were immersed in the art world from a young age. Raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, above her mother’s art gallery, Sweet and her eight siblings were immersed in the art world from a young age. Anna constantly questioned the value of art as she watched her mother buy, restore, and sell “old master” paintings.

Entranced by what seemed to be a modern art form, Anna picked up her first camera at age 12 and began photographing the women in her life. The classical backdrop of art in her home inspired her first series—underwater nudes, portraying the ethereal through harmonious modes of mixed media and photography. After ten years and several sold-out editions, Anna has recently looked to the art world for inspiration and her next venture.

Anna’s newest series explores a sculptural medium and raises the question, “What is art, and how do we consume it?” Once discovering the works of contemporary artist Damien Hirst, Anna was again perplexed by the value of art and a single dot of paint. With over 1500 original dot paintings sold, grossing hundreds of millions of dollars, Damien’s “Dot” series was devoured by the art world. Anna’s new “DotNut” series is her response to the mania and a playful gesture to the modern art market.

Anna lives between the Big Island of Hawaii, Key West, and the Willamette Valley, expanding her studio and developing a gallery and tasting room on her vineyard in the Dundee Hills.