Anne Brennan Vela maintains a home studio in San Antonio, Texas. She has been painting for over 30 years and continues to embrace instruction that becomes available to her. She is a signature member of the Texas Watercolor Society, the International Society of Acrylic Painters, and the International Society of Experimental Artists. She maintains associate membership in the American & National Watercolor Societies, the Southwestern Watercolor Society & the First Frontier Collage Society.

Anne moved to San Antonio from Laredo, Texas in 2001. As president of the Laredo Art League she founded the Laredo Center for the Arts in 1993. She was elected to the Laredo Women's Hall of Fame and named Woman of the Year by the Laredo Morning Times in 1997 for her contribution to the arts in Laredo. Anne received the Paul Harris award from the Rotarians for her service to community. She was the poster artist for the Washington's Birthday Celebration Association in 1996. Vela's work has been juried into both regional and national exhibitions. Anne's work titled "Pueblo Dwellings" won the silver medal award in the San Antonio Watercolor Group's juried exhibition in 2001 and in 2006 she received the bronze medal for 'Box Canyon". "Calles de San Miguel" a work in mixed media/collage received the Best in Show award from the First Frontier Collage Society in 2003.

Anne has served as President, Treasurer, Exhibit Chair, Travel Chair, and Secretary of the Texas Watercolor Society. Presently she belongs to the critique group 'Brushstrokes' and paints, plein air, on a weekly basis with Art & Co. Her work can be seen at Bright Shawl Gallery, San Antonio, Tx. on a rotating basis.

Beginning in watercolor some 37 years ago, I started on a journey that I enjoy on a daily basis. I work out of my home studio in San Antonio, Texas. I include all media in my "things to work with" that help me tell my story. I strive to make my work intensify seeing to create an increased awareness of our common being in time.

Painting what one's perceptions are is the sharing of one's most private thoughts and ideas with the viewer. I strive to put these inner thoughts and impressions on the surface of my work, be it paper or canvas. My love of color and texture spur me on to set down what I would like to convey to others through my art. Collage, acrylic on canvas, mixed media, transparency of watercolor, all media methods excite me..

VITA / ANNE BRENNAN VELA, TWS, ISEA, ISAP
2011	Texas Watercolor Society/All Member Show/Award of Merit
2011	Solo Show Ross Gallery, Fayetteville, TX
2011	Invitational Show/San Antonio Art League & Museum
2009	San Antonio Art League & Museum, Ann Griffith Ash Award
2009	Poster Artist / 2010 113th Washington's Birthday Celebration Association, Laredo, Texas
2008	San Antonio Watercolor Group / Juried Exhibit, Honorable Mention
2007	San Antonio Watercolor Group, Honorable Mention
2006	San Antonio Watercolor Group, Margaret Willson Award Hill Country Arts Foundation, Honorable Mention
2005	Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Merchandise San Antonio Watercolor Group, Bronze Medal Artist's Magazine Competition, Finalist
2004	Int'l society of Experimental Artists, Signature Status
2003	First Frontier Collage Society, Austin, Best in Show Eastern Washington Watercolor Society, Richland, WA EWWS Merit Award
2002	Laredo Art League, Laredo, Tx., Second Place Southwestern Watercolor Society, Dallas, Merchandise Laredo Art League, Laredo, Tx., Second Place San Antonio Watercolor Group, People's Choice New Braunfels Art League, Tx., First Place New Braunfels Art League, Tx., Second Place
2001	Texas Watercolor Society Signature Status