Annette Laurel Batchelor
Welcome to Annette's Art
Oil Paintings with a Story
A Painterly, Impressionistic, Semi-realistic Artist
The natural world and its beauty have always been central to my life, especially through art, which began with photography using my old 35mm camera. Designing compositions with the camera and working in the darkroom became a passion and potential career path until the "starving artist" comments took their toll.
I hold an AA in music, a BS, and an MA in math education, all of which I applied to teach high school and junior college. I cherished my 37 years of teaching before retiring. Throughout these years, I became known as the "plant lady gardener," creating landscapes of color filled with various plants and flowers, always finding room for more.

Since retiring, painting has become my world. I've dedicated myself to learning through classes, courses (both live and online), videos, readings, and books, always exploring and affirming my knowledge and application of my art.

I spend countless hours creating expressive compositions from my experiences walking, hiking, and traveling. I begin by observing the world around me, capturing inspiring moments, and then carefully translating them onto the canvas with a painterly, impressionistic flair. Many of my pieces are painted en plein air. I strive to create artworks that draw attention and imagination and tell a story. I believe I was always destined to be an artist, and I am grateful to have found my greatest passion.

I have been honored to exhibit my work in local, national, and international juried shows, earning several award recognitions. My greatest reward, however, is when others find joy in my work. It is incredibly gratifying when someone appreciates my art enough to hang it in their home.

Honors & Exhibitions


2019 Arts Benicia Art of a Community Exhibition

2019 Arts Benicia juried show August Spring

2019 Arts Benicia Open Studios exhibition

2019 Plein Air Gallery Paint-Out exhibition

2019 aRT Cottage Art Show Exhibit Beach Girl

2020 Arts Benicia Art of a Community Exhibition

2020 Arts Benicia Holiday Art Market Exhibition

2020 LightSpaceTime (LST) Landscapes 'Dipsea Stairs' Special Recognition

2021 Arts Benicia juried show 'Umbrella Girl'

2021 FSVAA Art on the Vine Festival exhibition

2021 Arts Benicia Holiday Art Market Exhibition

2021 LST Nature 'Should I Stay or Should I Go' Special Recognition

2021 LST Landscapes 'Bodega Bay Beach Entre' Special Recognition

2021 LST Seascapes 'Winter at Shore' Special Recognition

2021 LST City Scapes 'Golden View' 9th place award paintings/media

2021 LST All Women 'Boathouse Fog' Special Recognition & 'Benicia Sunset' Special Merit

2022 LST Women 'It's the Tree' Special Merit

2022 HQ Gallery Camel Barn exhibition

2022 MAA Art in the Park Martinez exhibition

2022 FSVAA Spring Forward Art Fair

2022 CAA juried show Journeys San Ramon City Hall Gallery

2022 FSVAA Art on the Vine Fair

2022 FSVAA Art Crush exhibition

2022 CAA Ygnacio Valley Library Rota Gallery Exhibition

2022 Arts Benicia Art of a Community exhibition

2022 aRT Cottage Art Show Journeys: Exploring Mind World exhibition

2022 LAA Ekphrasis juried show

2022 FSVAA Black Friday Fair

2022 Gallerium Art Exhibit Book of Arts: Publication. 'Bouquet Ball Rose'

2022 LST Abstract 'Floral Sea' Special Recognition

2022 LST Summer 555 'Desert Beauty' Special Merit

2022 'Desert Beauty' published in book: Finnerty's RV Folly: A Solo Nomadic Journey of Sorts by Thomas Finnerty

2022 LST Open 'Weather to Sail' Special Recognition

2023 Main Street Benicia Art Walk Poster Art Contest 2nd and 3rd place

2023 LST Children juried show, 'Sharing the Love'

2023 Plantarium/Biafarin juried show 'Headlands in Spring' Special Recognition

2023 LST Botanicals juried show 'Headlands in Spring' Special Recognition & 'Pink in Red' Special Merit

2023 LST All Women 'Fog on Ninth Street' Special Merit

2023 LST Summer 'Before the Rain' Special Recognition & 'Beach Girl' Special Merit

2023 LST Primary Colors 'Backroads Winery Orange' Special Recognition

2023 LST Landscapes 'State Park Trail' Special Merit; 'Beneath the Clouds', Honorable Mention; 'Backroads Winery' Special Merit; & 'Shadows' Special Recognition

2023 LST Open 'After the Rain' Special Recognition

2023 Arts Benicia Art of a Community exhibition

2023 FSVAA Spring Forward Art Fair exhibition

2023 LAA Ekphrasis Juried 'Sharing the Love' exhibition

2023 CAA Visitors Center Pacheco Square Summer juried show

2023 FSVAA Art on the Vine art fair

2023 LAA Juried show Papillon Café Lafayette Spring Show

2023 LAA juried show John Muir Health Gallery Walnut Creek

2023 LAA juried show Lindsay Dirkx Brown Gallery Opposites

2023 LAA juried show Papillon Café Lafayette Spring Show

2023 aRT Cottage 60th Anniversary exhibition

2023 LAA juried show Brilliance

2023 Arts Benicia Carquinez Review II juried publication

2023 Open Studios Benicia Arsenal exhibition

2023 Sheridan Prize for Art juried online exhibition

2023 Benicia Peddlers Fair

2023 LAA Lindsay Dirkx Brown Gallery Show California Dreamin juried show

2023 MAA Art in the Park Fair Martinez

2023 Glashoff Art Festival juried exhibition

2023 FSVAA Crush Art Fair

2023 LAA Papillon Café Lafayette Winter juried show

2023 FSVAA Black Friday Art Fair

2024 LST Summer Special Recognition

2024 LST Seashore juried show 'Pescadero Marsh Nat'l Pres' Special Merit

2024 Arts Benicia Art of a Community exhibition

2024 MAA Art in the Park Fair Martinez

2024 Glashoff Art Festival juried exhibition

2024 LAA Ekphrasis juried show

2024 Open Studios Benicia Art, IronHorse Benica

2024 Ekersons juried art fair, Novato

2024 aRT Cottage Brush Strokes exhibition

2024 LAA JMH Gallery Walnut Creek juried show

2024 LAA juried show Main Street Gallery, Martinez, Delighted by the Light

2024 Alamo/Danville Primavera juried show

2024 Village Theatre & Art Gallery Botanica juried show

2024 CAA juried show Centre Concord

2024 LAA juried show JMH Gallery Walnut Creek

2024 Second place Nor-Cal Regional Juried Show

Professional Artist Membership Organizations


Arts Benicia since 2017

American Impressionist Society (AIS), associate member since 2020

Fairfield Solano Visual Art Association. FSVAA. since 2021

Contra Costa Plein Air Facebook since 2022

Martinez Art Association (MAA) since 2022

Concord Art Association. (CAA) since 2022

Lamorinda Arts Alliance. (LAA) since 2022

Alamo Danville Artists Society (ADAS) since 2023

Crocker Art Museum since 2023

Berkeley Art Center (BAC) 2024