Ann Temkin was raised in Hawaii, a state that was an inspiration for many artists including herself. She earned a B.A. degree from the University of Idaho in Honolulu, and pursued an acclaimed career as an art dealer before becoming a sculptor. Today she is a member of the National Ethnic Arts Council, and serves on the board of the gallery that bears her name. Her artwork is exhibited internationally.
Ann’s personal art life has been both highly successful and deeply inspiring, whether it is her photography and paintings, or sculpture. Her colorful, whimsical paintings depict the landscapes of Hawaii, as well as other tropical locations. Her style creates an atmosphere of intimacy, as her subjects are often very small, making the viewer feel close to, and in touch with, the artist.
Ann’s sculptures also portray a sense of nationality. In one piece she used a scale model of the Statue of Liberty and displayed the statue and its pedestal on a table in New York City. Her carefully measured scale design, combined with a sense of humor, made the pedestal appear as if it were merely a foot from toppling over. This sensual use of size created a sensation with fellow sculptors, who commissioned other sculptors to replicate the work in bronze.