BACKGROUND 

Ann Miller Woodford is a visual artist, author, and speaker. Now in her 70s, she has dedicated the rest of her life to painting and drawing the spirit she feels and treasures around her, while uplifting young people and adults.

Usually painting with oils, she calls her works representational, mostly Southern genre, however, she is also skilled at drawing in pencil, charcoal, and ink. She says, “I am motivated by people, animals, clouds, trees, rocks … Inspiration never ends!”

As a child in the segregated, one-room Andrews Colored/Negro Elementary School in the small town of Andrews, North Carolina, Ann’s talents were discovered and encouraged by her favorite grade school teacher, Ms. Ida Mae Logan. Though Black teachers made very little money, Ms. Logan sent Ann’s artworks, at her own expense to the Scholastic Art Awards competitions, state and county fairs, and other places from which Ann won gold keys and blue ribbons. Ann reminisces, “Her caring ways were largely responsible for helping me to build self-esteem as an artist and led me to become an imaginative, creative adult.”

Still Life with Corn, Melons, and Apples | Charcoal on Manilla drawing paper

A school nurse provided a set of used oils, some brushes, a palette, and a Walter Foster How to Draw and Paint Seascapes instruction book that opened the door to her love of oil painting. The early Saturday morning Jon Nagy Learn to Draw programs gave her initial skills in drawing while she was encouraged by her family and baby sister, Nina, who often marveled at what Ann would leave on the canvas or paper.

Making Friends | Oil on drywall panel

Having traveled and worked across the United States, Ann built an exciting career in business and art in Los Angeles and then returned to western North Carolina where she founded One Dozen Who Care, the area’s first 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization, established by Black women. Intent on nurturing seeds of change, Ann has always had a personal goal to improve understanding between races, religions, youth, and adults. She makes PowerPoint presentations on regional African American history to build self-worth in young people and uplift the elders.

 Finding a need to strengthen African American heritage in far western North Carolina, Ann researched and documented the powerful, personal stories of the lives of the seemingly invisible African American people of the region, culminating in her book, When All God’s Children Get Together: A Celebration of the Lives and Music of African-American People in Far Western North Carolina.

Ann inspires crowds with her art, shown in local and traveling exhibits, and her motivating art classes. Her moving portraits of people and animals reveal her love for humanity and all of God’s creation in its myriad forms and moods. She is pleased to uplift people with her discussions, speeches, and presentations of historical photos as she encourages others to save their family and community histories.