The Quiet Wild: Finding Beauty in the Everyday

Fairmount’s Chardon location featuring Anneke Payne’s artwork on the walls

As the cold, gray days of winter stretch on, moments of color and warmth can feel like a breath of fresh air. Fairmount’s newest exhibition, The Quiet Wild, brings warmth and wonder to the season through the work of local watercolor artist Anneke Payne. Currently on view at Fairmount’s Chardon location (101 Main Street, Suite 105), this exhibition invites viewers to slow down and notice the subtle beauty in the world around us.

Anneke’s relationship with watercolor first blossomed from a simple fascination. She was drawn to works in galleries and museums that felt whimsical and expressive – qualities that naturally lend themselves to watercolor, and she felt compelled to explore the medium more deeply. 

While living in Utah, Payne spent 12 years studying under artist, Terrece Beesley, learning not only watercolor techniques, but also how to approach the medium with confidence and joy. After moving to the Cleveland area in 2022, Anneke spent a year settling in before teaching herself drawing skills to complement and expand her watercolor practice.

For Anneke, part of the joy of watercolor lies in its unpredictability. She loves how the water itself shapes each piece, creating natural, beautiful effects that can’t always be planned.

“Neighborhood Watch” by Anneke Payne

Watercolor, she says, “allows for surprise, soft blending, and moments that feel magical.”

One of Anneke’s favorite pieces in the exhibition is “Neighborhood Watch”, which features a cardinal, a red-bellied woodpecker, and a bluebird gathered in a tree. Inspired by a Fairmount collage class with Sharon Dundee, Anneke created this work to fit a unique frame, using collage to anchor each bird while linking them through a shared setting. Friends and neighbors contributed photos of animals they had captured, and these images became the foundation for many of the works in the exhibit.

In addition to her work as an artist, Anneke also teaches watercolor at Fairmount. Because she came to art later in life, she brings an approachable and encouraging teaching style to the classroom, emphasizing experimentation and the idea that “mistakes” are just part of the creative process, and can often lead to new ideas or inspiration.

Anneke hopes visitors walk away from The Quiet Wild with a renewed sense of curiosity and reflection. “My paintings are simply one way of viewing the world,” she says, adding that she hopes the exhibition encourages others to notice something new about their everyday surroundings and to express their own perspectives, whether through art, movement, music, or words.

We’re delighted to partner in hosting The Quiet Wild at Fairmount’s Chardon location, where it’s on view now through May 15.

Viewings are by appointment only. Please call 440-338-3171 to schedule yours today!

The Quiet Wild exhibition featuring work by Anneke Payne at Fairmount’s Chardon location