Anabel Hopkins

After working as a Peace Corps volunteer, community organizer, teacher, manager, business owner and horse breeder, Anabel Hopkins returned to her foremost passion: Art.

“My urges for adventure, creativity and service have carried me through more than one career,” she says. “Art was my first love, but only now do I have the time and freedom to immerse myself in learning and producing art.”

Anabel began studying painting in 2000 by taking watercolor classes at an art center in Bloomington. From there, she moved into oil painting and studied with several well-known artists. She also learned the art of pastels. In 2007 she traveled to Houston, Texas, to work privately with Kathleen Earthrowl, a nationally recognized abstract landscape artist.

Her repertoire includes a great deal of impressionist work, but Anabel also added abstract landscapes and nonobjective work to her studio.

“An abstracted work leaves something of mystery for the viewer to interpret or complete, bringing them into the process and making the paintings their own,” she says. “I gain a great deal of satisfaction facilitating the adoption of one of my works into a new family.”

The beauty of her Indiana hometown inspires Anabel daily. Her hikes and frequent horseback rides into the forest continually spark ideas for her creations.

“My inspirations are the beautiful landscapes and water scenes I live among,” she says. “My pontoon boat cruises up Salt Creek or out into the larger lake to reveal reflections, clouds, tree-covered hillsides and numerous unspoiled varieties of wildlife.”

Anabel’s work has won many awards and she’s been active in community art initiatives, such as the Art Alliance of Brown County and Hoosier Salon programs. Currently she is expanding her work onto larger canvases.

“As an artist in transition, I thrive on trying new styles and directions,” she says.