Meet Ann Golumbuk | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ann Golumbuk and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ann, what role has risk played in your life or career?
People often remark that I’m never afraid, but I think that it just never occurs to me to be fearful of something new. Risk taking has always been part of my life. When I was growing up, everyone in my family tried something different—I was surrounded by countless paths and options. That atmosphere fostered an attitude in me that life isn’t played on the sidelines. I know that failure is a possibility, but I’m okay with that; sometimes you are going to try something that you’ve wanted to do, but you’re not going to be great at it. Embarrassment is an obstacle—and I’m no stranger to it—but I firmly believe that you should try to achieve things regardless of that fear of failure. This became especially true for me after my accident. Faced with the desperation of being stuck in a static position, I knew that everything else would be easy after that. My career as an artist began as a risk; I took the chance to share my creativity with the world and make it my living. It has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I continue each day in the spirit of adventure. There’s certainly no reason to stop taking risks now.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I’m not sure if it’s my art or my personality that sets me apart from other artists—it could be the combination of the two—but I do know both are electric! While artistic tendencies were constant throughout my life, my true foray into the art world was primarily developed after a serious accident that left me down and out, desperate for a new way of life. Painting was my way of healing and my salvation; it moved me into a new life and a new career. My success started from one of the lowest points in my life and has blossomed into one of the most wonderful, exciting experiences that I could have ever imagined. Today, I am a full-time career artist with pieces showing in domestic galleries and exhibits across the United States, as well as in shows in Mexico and Spain. My art is influenced by the bright colors of nature. I express these vibrant hues using a vast library of paints, brushes, stencils, nail sets, and any other tools I find along the way. Every piece is built using multiple layers, bringing the energy and complexity of the world into my work. In my commitment to sustainability, I incorporate recycled materials such as metal, cardboard, and shredded canvas to add dimension within the layers; not even a drop of paint is wasted if I can help it. My pieces are rich in color and large in scale. Though I have worked with smaller canvases over the years, I find that the large canvas lends to a richer, more involved story. If there is one lesson that I could share with other artists, it would be to take your art and career seriously, but to never get too crazy over things that happen along the way. There will always be obstacles, embarrassments, and failures; you just have to realize that they don’t end the journey and they don’t mean that you won’t succeed. Life is brilliant and brief, so prioritize that which brings you purpose and joy.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Here is a list of my favorite spots in San Diego, check them out! *CORONADO Coronado is one of our favorite places to ride bikes. The city is beautiful, with white sand beach (the only white sand beach in San Diego) and some of the most amazing homes! You can rent bikes and ride around the island, have lunch and continue your tour of this cozy city, or stop and enjoy the beach. At night they have a romantic gondola ride around the Coronado Keys (bring a bottle of wine or champagne, and a light jacket). You can’t go wrong in Coronado! Restaurants: Nado Italian  Frenchies-french  Garage Buena Forchetta Leroy’s – casual Bike Rentals: Little Sam’s Island & Beach Fun 1343 Orange Ave Coronado, Ca 92118 619-435-4068 Gondola Company: 503 Grand Caribe Csway Coronado, Ca 92118 619-429-6317 Must See: Hotel Del Coronado *OCEAN BEACH  Ocean Beach is a throwback to Woodstock, with it’s low key hippy vibe and wild parrot population. Ocean Beach is our families favorite place to walk and explore. Walking from the OB pier to Sunset Cliffs is one of the most beautiful scenic walks in San Diego. It’s about a 5 mile round trip walk along the coast, with small secluded beaches to sun and enjoy some private time on the beach. Highly recommended! Restaurants: Raglan-breakfast or lunch  OB Noodle House Wonderland – Beautiful View with amazing Sunsets *Hodads – Best Hamburger in San Diego *PACIFIC BEACH & MISSION BEACH Young beach scene-full boardwalk where you can rent bikes, chairs, etc. Restaurants: Jordan @ Tower 23 Cannonball-sushi, lighter fare witha great ocean deck view Draft-downstairs from Cannoball-lunch stuff Breakfast Repulic-one of many in chain-great breakfasts *HILLCREST Trust-dinner-need res, call us if issue Amarin-best Thai food Hane Sushi-pircey but good Farmers Botegga-breakfast Karina's Mexican Seafood-casual outdoor for lunch, great ceviches *BALBOA PARK WALK for miles throughout the park, visit museums, then go to Jimmy Carters on 5 th for great Mexican breakfast or lunch *NORTH PARK Park House Tribute Pizza Et voila-french Berkeley Pizza- Deep Dish by the slice  Chi vegetarian(mostly) thai food *LITTLE ITALY Gratitude café-vegan, vegetarian-great breakfasts Kettner exchange-dinner and drinks Herb and Wood-dinnner and drinks Herb and eatery – coffee and light eats Crack shack-outdoor casual-BEST chicken sandwiches Barbusa-good itailian dinner or lunch Monello- Brunch Waterfront Grill- oldest bar in SD-Great Burgers *LA JOLLA-Hang out on the grassy parks, see the seals at the cove, shop around but on the pricey side. Restaurants: Promiscuous fork-casual lunch, great food Eddie V’s-fancy dinner, steaks and seafood George’s at the cove-have lunch on top deck with ocean view *SOLANA BEACH Pacific Coast Grill-lunch or dinner with great ocean views San Diego Electric Bike  101 Hwy 101, Solana Beach, CA 92075-you can rent electric bikes here and go up and down the coast of north county and see tons of great little restaurants and the coast

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am part of an amazing artists alliance called “F 1 V E”. We started this group due to an art challenge, but it has become much more. We are a small group of five, we encourage and inspire each other to grow and achieve our goals as artists. We work together to help our community, as well as individually on our own path to success. Members of our group are myself, Denise Cerro, Manaz Raiszadeh, Susie Zol, and Yahel Yan.

Website: www.anngolumbuk.com
Instagram: @anngolumbuk
Facebook: @anngolumbukart
Youtube: Ann Golumbuk

Image Credits
Both photos of the house are from Deborah Shield Photography @d.shields.photography, all other photos are mine.