Annemarie Wright

Turning words into beautiful handwritten art...

Everyone has different opinions and feelings that can be expressed through words. The aim of my work is to challenge people's perceptions and make them realise that first impressions can change.

Wright brings us a sideways look at people and places drawn from pop culture icons and current affairs by recreating their image using only hand-written text – text that often describes, criticises or comes direct from the mouth of the people she draws.

Wright intends to provoke thought and debate with her work, and some have been controversial: Their families have been told, an image of Tony Blair rendered in text comprising the names of fallen soldiers from the Iraq and Afghan wars, or Buildings don't go anywhere, they shouldn't be restless, an image of New York's World Trade Center towers created from the names of the victims of the 9/11 attacks received considerable exposure in national media. Proceeds from these artworks went to Help the Heroes and the National September 11 Memorial Museum charities respectively.

Other faces she paints are no less well known – Margaret Thatcher, Steven Fry, Lilly Allen, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William and Kate Middleton, David Beckham, Kate Moss, The Rolling Stones or President George W Bush. 

Born in Cambridge, Wright graduated from a Fine Art and Printmaking degree at Wolverhampton University in 2002. She started working with textual representation with her final degree show, and has painstakingly created her unique artwork since, taking a week or more to create each one.

"Everyone has different opinions and feelings that can be expressed through words, sometimes body language; but who knows whether it's true or not? No-one can be fully aware of what is going on in other individuals minds. People judge too easily and first impressions can alter. I produce my work using ink and paper, from a distance you will see a black and white image. Upon moving closer you will see the image is made using hand-written text. The content of the image is always written by, or concerning the person in the completed piece of art". ANNE MARIE WRIGHT

Wright lives and works in Birmingham, UK.