From a very age, Annette was interested in art.   The early mentoring she received from her high school art teachers encouraged her to pursue the development of her artistic talents in both undergraduate and graduate art education studies. Having earned a BFA in art education from Valdosta State University, she then completed her MEd in Elementary Education. This culminated in her employment as an art educator at Valdosta Middle School in 1977. At this point in her career, she concentrated on raising her family while still volunteering art instruction in the public schools. She began painting as an extension of her photography. Now painting is her passion.

The widespread acceptance of her art includes recognition with numerous awards in juried competitions in local, state and national shows, as well as being published in The Palette Magazine. She exhibits and markets her work with five fellow artists at a private gallery, Artists on Ashley in downtown Valdosta, Georgia. Last year she had an exhibit in the contemporary gallery at the Albany Museum of Art.   Other recent show venues include the Firehouse Arts Center in Bainbridge, GA; Glynn Art Association in Saint Simons Island, GA; Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, GA and Goodyear Cottage in Jekyll Island, GA. Her artistic focus is painting landscapes and non-objective painting using a variety of color, shape, form, line and textures.

Annette Crosby’s work creates visual interest by using texture and subtle variations in shape and color.  When starting a painting, she begins by texturizing the canvas or paper followed by making marks and lines with both paint and mark making tools.  She uses gestural lines in her work to create active, energetic designs and organic shapes.

Designs and colors lead to new and unexplored options in her paintings which are layered, and then the surface is manipulated by intuitive explorations of painting and drawing.