Reta Annen
Reta Annen
About the artist:
Born and educated in Switzerland, Reta Annen already enjoyed drawing and painting during primary school. Winning her first drawing competition at the age of thirteen was both recognition and encouragement. After completing her education in Switzerland, Reta traveled and worked in different countries, first in France and then in South Africa. She then moved to Cyprus, Egypt, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates. The opportunity of more than twenty years in the Middle East influenced Reta’s art tremendously. Her stay in the Arab Emirates gave her the chance to learn more about all the different media and techniques in the Dubai Art Society, where she became an active member first, and later started to teach there batik and silk painting. Working with a group of very talented artists, all using different media, was very inspiring and led to her first solo exhibition with more than eighty paintings.
She then opened a permanent gallery at the Dubai Hilton which proved extremely successful, not only for herself, but for many Art Society members. This was followed by the participation of her first international exhibitions like the Grolla d’Oro in Venice, the Middle Eastern Exhibition at the Britannia Hotel in London and her first solo show in her native Switzerland. After more than twenty years in the Middle East and Africa she moved to Australia which meant a big change for her. Reta was immediately captivated by the beauty of this fast and colourful country and held her first exhibition at the Sydney Hilton.
She exhibits in various group exhibitions and has her works displayed in different galleries around Sydney.
Most important exhibitions:
- American School Maadi, Cairo – Egypt
- Meridian Hotel, Khartoum – Sudan
- Dubai Hilton, Dubai – United Arab Emirates
- Gulf News Exhibition, Dubai – United Arab Emirates
- Dubai Art Society, Dubai – United Arab Emirates
- Majlis Gallery Dubai – United Arab Emirates
- Grolla d’Oro, Venice – Italy
- Britannia Hotel, London – England
- Kunstszene Schwyz, Goldau – Switzerland
- Kunstszene Schwyz, Mount Rigi – Switzerland
- Kunstlervereinigung Innerschweiz, Schwyz – Switzerland
- Mythenpark, Goldau – Switzerland
- Sydney Hilton, Sydney – Australia
- Crookwell Art Society, Crookwell – Australia
- Sails Resort Hotel, Port Macquarie – Australia
- Metro Gallery, Melbourne – Australia
- Vineyard Motel, Cowra – Australia
- Willoughby Art Centre, Sydney – Australia
Her media: Reta works in all the different media, her favorite ones however are: mixed media, mono-printing, etching, batik, silk painting and water colours. Reta works mainly from her home studio, but also at the Workshop Art Centre in Willoughby. Contact e-mail: retannen@hotmail.com
