ABOUT — Annalisa Barelli (b. 1983, Kansas City) Washington State, USA

“I adhere to the belief that everyone is an artist. A great impetus for my own art is to inspire others to create in the way so many mentors have inspired me. There is so much healing power in the act of creating and so much value to be discovered in humanities art.

As a child I was always making things and I spent countless hours surrounded by art. Galleries opened my blooming mind and I found solace in the quiet corridors inside. Picture books and imaginative stories offered me expansion into something more and writing has always been my way to make meaning. As a young woman, I studied creative writing and fine art in the United States and Italy. I found ingenuity in American Art and passion and light in Renaissance Art. Through my studies and travels, a deep respect for the craft grew. I find freedom in abstract expressionism and  grounding in illustration and design. In my early twenties I fell spinning in a new direction through a healing crisis but I gained greater appreciation for writing, music, symbolism and story. The experience awakened me to the healing power of embodied imagination. From there, storytelling became my chosen conduit for giving and sharing my creative spark. 

The wilderness is one of my greatest muses as nature keeps me connected and centered in the present. I have lived in the northwest since 2006 and reside in a seaside community near the majestic Olympic National Park. I grow in community upon indigenous S’klallam and Chimakum land and wish respect and sovereignty to all Indigenous First Peoples and First Nations Tribes. When not making art and weaving story, I savor my time with family and being a mother. Writing gives my busy mind a place for stillness. Spilling color brings joy to my soul and sound connects my heart to the greater living orchestra.”

Present – Summer 2024

I am taking a break from showcasing and selling my visual art to prepare my multidisciplinary works of fiction. I am excited to step into the role of author and I look forward to sharing some stories soon. More details to come and thanks for stopping by!