The artistic career of Annie Free is best described as a “happy accident.” Following a successful career as a co-creator of the skateboard brand “HUF,” Annie was delightfully surprised to find out she liked to draw. At age 42 she began to doodle and just couldn’t stop. She is now a self-taught painter and illustrator who creates with joyful, child-like whimsy. Born in the California mountains and raised by the sea in Monterey, she is deeply connected to the unique beauty and culture of her native state. She paints what she knows and sees in her daily life. For her, this is mostly surfers, skaters, yogis, beach hippies, dogs, wild animals, magical birds, and a heck of a lot of rainbows. When she is not creating, you can usually find her putzing around her garden on the Carmel Valley River, with her wild pack of chihuahuas and chickens in tow.