Pastel and Oil Paintings
Annette Sykes, Room 403 AB
@PaintbytheOcean
paintbytheocean.com
Annette Sykes is an observational artist whose work captures the quiet presence of the ordinary. Through pastel, oil, and watercolor, she transforms familiar subjects—the curve of a glass bottle, the shifting light along the coast, the subtle gesture of a model—into moments of stillness and resonance.
Her series Antiquing with Bob, inspired by weekend excursions with her husband across New England, features antique glass bottles and objects once utilitarian, now treasured as relics. In her compositions, these vessels hold both memory and atmosphere, becoming stand-ins for people, relationships, and the emotional weight of shared time.
Sykes also works extensively in landscape and figure painting. Along the North Shore coastline, her plein air studies trace the rhythm of weather and light. In her figure work, she attends to the quiet gravity of the human form. Across all subjects, her process is immersive and contemplative, with drawing functioning as both meditation and record.
What unites her practice is a reverence for presence and a curiosity about how objects, places, and bodies hold meaning over time.
Annette Sykes works from her studio at the Lydia Pinkham Building in Lynn, Massachusetts, and exhibits regularly throughout the North Shore. To view more of her work, find new pieces, or contact the artist, please visit www.paintbytheocean.com
Annette's art reflects both her surroundings and her personal journey. Through her paintings, she seeks to capture not only what she observes but also the strong sense of belonging she feels within her community. Her work embodies the creativity, connection and inspiration that define her life as an artist on Boston's North Shore.
