Study I, 2024

Ana Monnaco  

Ana's work draws on the depth and beauty of our collective imagination. Her paintings invite the viewer to experience a space in time through story and emotion, drawing them beyond the surface of the canvas and into the richness of a grander vision.

Born in Curitiba, Brazil, Ana developed a love for the arts at an early age. Surrounded by passionate painters and architects, she was quickly drawn in by the beauty of their creative spirits and the alluring power of a blank page.

Ana went on to study architecture and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 2002, receiving the prestigious Luther Lashmit Design Award and Traveling Scholarship.

After university, Ana joined Morris Architects in Orlando, Florida. During her time at Morris she worked on the conceptual design of more than 50 projects in countries including the US, Brazil, China, Singapore, Dubai, and the Caribbean. In 2007, Ana Carolina Mönnaco became the first woman and youngest recipient of the Hugh Ferris Memorial Prize, the singular highest achievement award in architectural illustration, for her rendering of a 360 degree living coral reef exhibit entitled The Coral Helix.

In 2009, Ana announced the creation of her Nashville-based design studio, MÖNNACO, dedicated to providing inspired illustrations that capture the imagination for clients across the broad spectrum of industry. Her most recent work is a personal journey back to the more timeless traditions of art.

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Artist Statement 


"An architect sculpts space to create a beautiful balance of light and shadow. An artist takes that framework and drapes it in memories and emotions, transforming space into pure magic."

To me, art is a humbling – a stripping away of everything I think I know in an effort to rediscover what I've lost. It's tearing things down to their foundations, looking out beyond the edge, and recognizing the unbound, insane beauty that flows eternally around us all.

In the meditation of a painting, something transcends. In a moment of pure stillness or an unchecked brushstroke, I catch a glimpse of it – like a breath of magic from another world. It's intoxicating, fleeting, and highly addictive because a glimpse is never enough. So each new work becomes an invitation to dance with the divine… if only for another moment in time.

Education:

Bachelors of Architecture – Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 2002

Awards & Distinctions:

AIP 23 Hugh Ferris Memorial Prize, 2007
AIP 24 Juror Award, 2008

Exhibitions:

Blurred & Fractured – Modfellows Gallery, September 2022
Seven Red Roses – Artsy, February 2022

Artistic Influences:

My work is greatly influenced by artists, both great and small, who I've long admired, including Sorolla, Turner, Monet and Rothko.