Latest Work by Anna Meijn

Echoes Of Time – November 2020

Echoes Of Time – November 2020

Oil on linen – 30 x 40in / 76 x 101 cm

Commission for X Stables

This painting reflects the history of the Beemster, a former lake in the Netherlands, which was milled dry to create space for large estates for the rich VOC merchants in the 1600s.

A century later an economic crisis ended the Golden Ages and the estates were dismantled to make space for farmland and farm houses.

The area is a World Heritage site where the subject grew up. Her love for the Old Masters and their use of the colours Venetian Red and Scheveningen Rood resulted in me creating a painting in the style and colour scheme of the Old Masters with a little twist here and there that tells her story. The young lambs and the nesting swan symbolise her step into adulthood and creating a life for herself.

Women In The Wind – January 2020

Women In The Wind – January 2020

Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 inch / 76 x 101 cm

I went to Las Vegas to present this painting to the subject, Becky Brown, during the Women In The Wind Winter International meeting, February 13-16th 2020 in Las Vegas.

Becky Brown is the founder of the international organisation Women In The Wind. She started the first chapter in 1979 in Ohio, USA.

Women In The Wind’s purpose is:
To UNITE women motorcyclists with friends of common interest.
To PROMOTE a positive image to the public of women on motorcycles.
To HELP EDUCATE its members on motorcycle safety and maintenance.

More than 30 years ago I read an article in an American motorcycle magazine about Becky Brown and Women In The Wind. I longed to be part of such an organisation but lived on the wrong continent; this was the era before email, internet and Google!

Three years ago I discovered that there were Facebook groups for female riders and connected with some. Then I received a message from Becky Brown! We messaged to and fro and the rest is history. Since 2017 we have a Women In The Wind chapter in New Zealand: the Tui Thunder Chapter. Amazing how the internet made the world a small place and made a dream come true.

> Buy a print of this painting.

Snatch It Back And Hold It- January 2018

Snatch It Back And Hold It- January 2018

Pastel painting – 18.5 x 26.4in / 47 x 67cm.

I always use song titles for my paintings and this one is no exception. This painting is the companion of my other painting ‘Sweet Thing’. Both girls had a piece of chewing gum which absolutely fascinated me. Where did that come from? We were in the middle of Zambia, dirt roads, mud and straw houses and other than that… nothing but lots of nature and wildlife.

The title refers to both the chewing gum and the scowling baby boy. He soooo didn’t want to be confined in his movements. The only African baby I have ever seen who had not quietly surrendered to his baby fate.

Colin Robinson – October 2017

Colin Robinson – October 2017

‘Colin Robinson’ – pastel on board – 31 x 44 cm / 12 x 17 in

Celebrating his 80th birthday. He has over 60 years of voluntary work under his belt in the Wairarapa community as a firefighter and an ambulance officer, to mention just a few.

A wonderful, fun and loyal friend to many. Hard worker. Great craftsman. Good company. I hope to get to paint his 100th birthday portrait!

Freedom Rider – September 2017

Freedom Rider – September 2017

Freedom Rider – September 2017 – Oil on Canvas – 30 x 40 in (76 x 102 cm)

This painting is an ode to freedom which many of us take for granted. I was inspired to paint this picture by the Buffalo Chip Freedom Ride 2017. I was a sponsor for the event and donated limited editions of three of my paintings to their charity auction benefiting wounded veterans and their families, the Special Olympics and the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

The auction of the paintings was a huge success and generated twice their value for the good causes. The auction happened at the end of the day after listening to a great band, being amongst good people and followed by an amazing ride from Spearfish through the Black Hills to Sturgis, South Dakota.

I was over the moon to have been able to make such a substantial contribution (US$4700) and felt a strong desire to paint this immediately upon returning to my studio. I used the Badlands for the background as this is such a fascinating and utterly beautiful landscape and boy do I feel free and grateful for that freedom when I ride there!

Running Free – June 2017

Running Free – June 2017

Acrylic on Canvas – 23.5 x 47 inch.

This piece was created specifically for Sturgis Bike Week 2017’s Buffalo Chip 36th Anniversary ‘Legends Ride’.

Thundering through the hills, side by side, wind sweeping through our hair and mane, breathing hard, snorting, bellowing steamy breath, heaving bodies, muscles, steel, chrome and rubber. The waving grass lures us towards the prairie. Fleeing antelope, swirling scents, hot, cold, blue bells bordering streams on both sides, majestic pines, hill tops, formidable rock formations and passes. Free!

Kickstart My Heart – May 2017

Kickstart My Heart – May 2017

‘Kickstart My Heart’ – Oil – 30 x 40 inch

The day starts with the smell of dew on grass glistening in the early morning sun mixed with the smell of damp leather, oil, earth and metal warming up. The mist is slowly dissipating and the birds are joyously exclaiming their fondness for this new day.

Krrr, Krrrr, voomph, Krrrr, Krrr, vroomph, Krrr, Krrrr and then you hear the beautiful rumble of a ‘47 Chief come to life to warm your heart while warming your hands on a steaming mug of brew. What a great way to start your day!

Arrived – October 2016

Arrived – October 2016

‘Arrived’ – Oil – 29.5 x 35 inch

The end of the day is nearing the twilight hour. He arrives in a cloud of dust at the campsite and hears people laughing in the distance, the popping of a beer can being opened, murmured voices followed by raucous laughter and cheering, the crackle and waves of heat from a bonfire, the rumble and revving of several big twin engines, the smell of roasting meat, exhaust fumes, beer, perfume, burning wood, grass and damp soil mingled with snippets of rock music. “Home”, he thinks and sighs with contentment.

Hold On Loosely – July 2016

Hold On Loosely – July 2016

‘Hold On Loosely’ – Oil – 30 x 30 inch

I wanted to paint this couple riding down the road for quite some time but could not find the right background. I secretly have a nickname for the painting (her), feel free to guess. I started painting it on a smaller canvas but that didn’t feel right, so that canvas became another painting.

Then in 2016 I rode back by myself from Sturgis, South Dakota to Grand Junction, Colorado. The Rockies are infamous for their sudden and fierce thunderstorms. I had kept a close eye on the weather channel and knew that I had to try to dodge several
storms that day. And here I was, in the middle of Wyoming, 180 miles from anything, nowhere to stop or shelter and I see five thunderstorms developing around me.

Ok. Start with dodging number 1. Check. Number 2. Got a little wet, all good. Number 3, got a nice skin and teeth polishing sandblast but dodged the rain, tick in box. Now onto 4 and 5. Mile after mile the clouds got darker and darker, resembling giant black cotton balls and the pile got bigger and bigger ahead and on the right of me. Number 3 stayed with me on my left, getting bigger and darker too but didn’t appear to contain imminent thunder and lightning so I ignored it. I could not see where the road was going but it seemed to be going straight ahead into the blackest cotton balls that could start throwing lightning bolts at any time now.

All of a sudden there was a huge dip in the road and the road made a 90 degree curve to the left through the rock formations.  Relief flooded me. I hauled ass the whole time and made it. Thunder and lightning splitting the dark sky behind me.

I arrived at the nearest petrol station with a nearly empty gas tank and instantly the rain came bucketing down like the end of the world was near.  “Hah! Got ya!” I smirked. As I had been staring at this scenery for a good two hours it felt like the absolutely perfect background for this painting once I arrived back into my warm, dry and safe studio.