Annamieka (Awn-uh-mee-kuh)
Annamieka Hopps is an artist, educator, and creative mentor based in Portland, Oregon. At its heart, her process is simple: painting and talking to people, listening as best she can, and making art that celebrates and commemorates the people, pets, places, events, and experiences that shape a life.
Painting and Talking to People.
She’s quick to create art on the spot, creating portraits, attending events as a live painter, and marking life’s milestones with art. She prefers to paint from life but will work from photos or video clips - it’s all about conveying the essence of the person being painted. She’s often involved in projects that bring people together, whether it’s a mural, a memorial, a blessing, or a shared creative moment. She also loves a good prank and has built giant piñatas or helped stage secret photoshoots as surprises for milestone birthdays. The intention of the paintings and all of the art is for her clients & their loved ones to feel seen and celebrated.
Life and legacy
Annamieka was interviewed on the Death And podcast about honoring people through portraiture, and she created over 100 episodes of The Art Friend Show, where she paints while talking with other creative professionals. Recently, her work has moved into end-of-life and legacy portraits, honoring those who are passing by creating paintings and portraits that help families remember, grieve, and celebrate their loved ones.
Artwork Archive & Artist Advising
In addition to her studio practice, Annamieka is the Product Education Specialist at Artwork Archive, where she teaches artists worldwide how to organize, sustain, and share their creative careers. She's also become a creative mentor to many artists over the past decade. In her private advising practice, she meets with artists one-on-one, offering guidance on both creative process and career development. Longtime clients often say she lives in their head rent-free with reminders like, “Don’t try to make good art; just try making some art, and trust that something good is bound to happen.”
Portland, Oregon
Annamieka lives in Portland, Oregon with her daughter, her dog, and a partner she adores who has several kids of his own. When she’s not doing art projects with one or four children she’s often making up new recipes in the kitchen and never writing them down. Dance is her hobby. She loves her people and believes art and friendship are both about showing up, even when the kitchen’s a mess.
video by Brave Alice | song "Birds and Stars" by Elephant Revival (used with love and permission.)
Artist Statement
Art is how I pay attention, how I honor people, and how I celebrate milestones and memories. Every person, every story, every animal, plant or place I paint has its own personality. Painting each thing becomes a celebration of its life in all of its messy exuberance.
My process is simple: I paint and talk to people. Sometimes I paint them live, sometimes from photos or video, often while recording our conversations. Unexpected color combinations, funny stories, poignant imagery, and mixed materials bring a liveliness to my work and allow freedom in how I describe the essence of each subject. I layer acrylic paint, drawing, collage, and oil, and I think of the conversation, recording, reference imagery and notes as essential parts of the finished piece. Portrait clients receive more than a painting. They often get a recording, a written story, and personal details woven into the art itself. Whether I’m painting a person, a flower, a dog, or a waterfall, I aim to capture not just its likeness but its energy and spirit. I often begin from life, then follow curiosity into pattern, color, and imagination. Each element feels alive, as if every part of the image is saying hello to a friend.
Painting, recording, writing, and making art in this way is my way of paying attention. Attention equates to love. I think of the art as love made visible. When I paint someone or something, I am not just capturing how they look but the story that stands out, the memory held by the person who asked me to paint it, and the reminder that we are alive, that today is all we have, and that there is so much to see and celebrate, to feel and to hold, together while we are here and in memory once we are gone.
