{"id":457707,"date":"2026-09-09T00:38:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T00:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/457707\/"},"modified":"2026-09-09T00:38:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T00:38:14","slug":"rising-stars-meet-anne-kupillas-of-long-beach-voyage-la-magazine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/457707\/","title":{"rendered":"Rising Stars: Meet Anne Kupillas of Long Beach \u2013 Voyage LA Magazine"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Today we\u2019d like to introduce you to Anne Kupillas.<\/p>\n

Hi Anne, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Puerto Rico and grew up on Long Island, NY in a family of hardworking creative types \u2013 my mom was a singer who worked at a local pharmacy, and her parents were creative as well, both working in sales. I have the most beautiful memories of my mom singing in choral groups and embroidering my clothing with bees and butterflies, and doing crafts together with my brothers and me. My grandfather was an amateur sculptor and my grandmother wanted to go to fashion school; we still have several of her 1940\u2019s fashion illustrations \u2013 she had an abundance of natural talent. My brothers (three) are all also artistic in different ways. But I didn\u2019t consider art as a realistic career for me. I grew up valuing traditional hard work, and the arts were just a hobby.<\/p>\n

Even so, I was lucky enough to take art classes throughout high school, and my college roommate was a Fine Art major, so I would sneak into the studio with her. I majored in Art History but started attending all the live figure drawing sessions I could squeeze in. After graduating, I worked in a few museums and then moved out to Long Beach to run the gift store at the Aquarium of the Pacific. After that, I went into sales and began a long, engaging career selling furniture to international interior designers and hotels. I traveled the world and even lived in England for four years, all the while drawing and painting sporadically on weekends or on vacations. I did take classes here and there and even had a solo art show of my nude studies in 2009, at my brother Michael\u2019s gallery in Florida. My dream was always to be a full-time, \u201creal\u201d artist \u2013 I just didn\u2019t see how to make that a reality until retirement. I dreamed of turning 65 and wearing mumus full-time (ask any of my friends, this was an actual goal of mine) and painting. Just painting.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure it wasn\u2019t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I was my own obstacle for a long time, until by chance I fell extremely ill in 2017. No one knew what was wrong with me or how to help me. I had pain everywhere, vision and hearing problems, couldn\u2019t think straight, and had a mile-long list of weird symptoms. I started having panic attacks, too, and was in and out of the ER and hospital several times. I saw 13 doctors (including a week-long stay at the Mayo Clinic) and had every test known to man, but NO ONE could figure out what was wrong with me. Now I know I had contracted Lyme Disease plus two co-infections, which is common when you get bit by a tick, as I did. But at the time, I was a medical mystery, so I took a demotion at work, and then quit my job as my health continued to decline. At my worst point, I couldn\u2019t remember words, couldn\u2019t read or drive, and couldn\u2019t shower by myself. <\/p>\n

To combat my growing restlessness and depression, my GP recommended I take up painting again. And I did! It wasn\u2019t easy \u2013 concentrating would activate my nerve pain and headaches \u2013 but I kept at it for an hour or two every day, and the sketching and painting took my mind off my symptoms. I haven\u2019t stopped painting since, and the art has become so much more than just therapy for me. It\u2019s become a huge part of my self-worth and persona on this long road back to \u201cnormal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alright, so let\u2019s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I mostly work in watercolors! I love painting from nature \u2013 animals, landscapes, figures, and trees. Southern California is a great place to be an artist, there\u2019s such an abundance of natural beauty. I also got into gouache and acrylic painting two years ago, and I\u2019ve been having fun creating on canvas and on ungessoed cradled wooden panels. I love the drag of the paintbrush against the raw wood grain! <\/p>\n

Additionally, I\u2019m know for my pet portraits, and also do vacation portraits more and more lately. I love doing custom work and making someone\u2019s vision come to life. Now, I\u2019m healthy enough that I can do more challenging fine artwork, I have been doing more challenging projects, including larger size watercolors and the acrylics and mixed media, and going back to figure drawing in ink and wash. <\/p>\n

For several years now, I have been teaching workshops on watercolor painting at different spaces in the LA and OC, including through CSULB\u2019s OLLI program and Art Supply Warehouse in Westminster. Hosting a free \u201cwatercolor happy hour\u201d on Zoom every Friday afternoon, during which artists can join me to paint a different subject each week, has kept my students and community together through a LOT. We are approaching our 310th week! <\/p>\n

How do you think about happiness?
Art and community are what make me happy. I am at my happiest when I\u2019m painting with other like-minded creatives, whether it\u2019s outside or in the studio, during a teaching session, a demo or just hanging out and painting with my students and friends. I truly believe that art is healing. I call it my \u201csilver lining,\u201d because I would likely have waited until I retired to start painting and feel the happiness of creating art for a living and also teaching others to create. I\u2019m so glad I didn\u2019t wait, and I wouldn\u2019t change a thing about my journey, because it\u2019s taught me so much \u2013 humility, compassion, patience, perseverance \u2013 you name it! <\/p>\n

Pricing:<\/p>\n

Watercolor Pet Portraits starting at $175
\nWatercolor Commissions starting at $225
\nPrivate Lessons $65 \/ hour
\nWatercolor Happy Hour \/ FREE<\/p>\n

Contact Info:<\/p>\n

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\"Abstract<\/p>\n

Suggest a Story:<\/a> VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it\u2019s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
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