Anne Besse-Shepherd Bio Anne Besse-Shepherd is a landscape painter on Martha’s Vineyard. She grew up spending every summer on the Island and has lived in Vineyard Haven year-round for more than 10 years. Anne received her undergraduate degree in studio art from Skidmore College and then earned an MFA in Metalsmithing from the University of Washington. For many years she ran Chrysalis Designs, designing and fabricating one-of-a-kind and limited production fine art jewelry. Anne was the recipient of a Ford Foundation Grant and her work is a part of the permanent collection at the Smithsonian Institution. Anne was recently accepted to the National Association of Women Artists, Inc. (NAWA) While she was happily retired from the jewelry business Anne still needed a creative outlet. When her mother (well know Island artist Virginia Weston Besse) passed away Anne brought home some of her mother’s painting supplies. She quickly developed a new passion for oil painting landscapes both in her studio and en plein air. Like many island artists Anne can often be found set up in hidden corners of Land Bank and Sheriff’s Meadow properties capturing the amazing light and quiet beauty of Martha’s Vineyard. In addition to the conservation properties and ancient ways Anne frequently takes advantage of her little “fleet” (a small sailboat, 2 kayaks, and a 32’ lobster boat) to explore the ponds, harbors, and coastlines of the Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands. This allows her to explore areas that most people rarely get to see and provide an unusual perspective looking from the water toward land