We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Annieo Klaas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Annieo below.

Annieo, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the decision of whether to donate a percentage of sales to an organization or cause – we’d love to hear the backstory of how you thought through this.

While I don’t donate a fixed percentage of my sales, I had the privilege of contributing one of my paintings to an auction that raised funds for a local pharmacy providing medication to uninsured patients. This experience was especially meaningful to me, as I am on the verge of earning my PharmD in May. Finding intersections between my passion for painting and my future career in pharmacy is exciting to me. I was deeply moved that my artwork could play a role in improving access to essential medications, as I believe pharmacy is a profoundly practical way to help people. Knowing that my painting contributed to that mission was truly rewarding.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in Dakar, Senegal, and began painting seriously in high school. I vividly remember completing a painting and receiving feedback from my art teacher, who pointed out that while some areas were highly developed, others felt rushed. He encouraged me to plan my time more intentionally so I could bring the entire composition to the same level of refinement. From that moment on, I immersed myself in the art studio, captivated by the challenge of creating paintings that fully engaged the viewer. The luminous quality and buttery texture of oil paint drew me in, eventually becoming my preferred medium.

I studied painting at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington, and my artistic journey has taken me from the Pacific Northwest to Mobile, Alabama, where I am currently based.

My work is deeply influenced by my fascination with sunlight. Growing up in Senegal, I would climb to the roof of my apartment building in the afternoons, sipping hot coffee in the afternoon sun. Now, that same golden light floods my studio, casting a glow on the many paintings I’ve created of the sky. There’s something ethereal about the way real sunlight moves across the painted sky, as if the sky is looking in on itself. In other windows, sunlight catches in curtains, saturating them in yellow and distorting the shadows of trees outside. Even though these moments are impossible to hold and less possible to recreate, I chase after them in my paintings. While I can never fully capture them, the pursuit itself creates something beautiful.

Some of my recent exhibitions include “The Places We Go”, juried by the Alabama Women’s Caucus for Art (2025); “A CELEBRATION”, juried by the Mobile Museum of Art (2024-2025); and “Made in Alabama”, an invitational exhibition at Samford Art Gallery in Birmingham (2024). I also had the honor of presenting my solo exhibition, ‘When the Sky Looks In”, at the Mobile Arts Council in 2024.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

This might not be exactly what you’re looking for, but it’s one of my favorite stories about one of my paintings—and it just so happens to be marketing-related. A few years ago, I did a series of paintings featuring billboards in Mobile, set against dramatic, billowing skies. One of the most recognizable names in the Southeast when it comes to injury lawyer billboards is Alexander Shunnarah—his ads are EVERYWHERE. Sometimes, you’ll even see four identical billboards stacked together in a grid, making an even bolder statement. Naturally, I had to paint one.

Without me knowing, my neighbor sent a photo of the painting to Shunnarah’s marketing agency. To my surprise, they reached out and ended up buying it as a birthday gift for him! I love imagining that painting hanging in his office somewhere—he’s probably the most famous owner of one of my works. This story also reminds me of the tremendous support I’ve received over the years. That kind of thing has really encouraged me.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

Instagram is the main way I stay in touch with clients. About half of my sales have come through Instagram—people see my work, message me directly, and we go from there. I use Instagram Stories to share my process and post finished works on my page. Since Stories disappear after 24 hours, they create a sense of immediacy that keeps people coming back to see what I’m working on.

I also encourage people to sign up for my newsletter, where I share updates on upcoming exhibitions and events.

One of my favorite ways to connect with collectors is through the packaging. When someone buys a painting, I hand-make wrapping paper by painting little clouds on brown butcher paper. Since clouds are a recurring theme in my work, this adds a personal touch while reinforcing my artistic identity. It’s my way of saying a special ‘thank you’ to those who support my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.annieoklaas.com
• Instagram: @annieoklaas
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieoKlaasstudio
• Linkedin: Annieo Klaas

Image Credits

Credit for the photo of me goes to Sarah Coleman (https://sarahcolemanphotography.com/). The photos of paintings are my own.