About The ArtistsAnna Conklin
Originally from Oregon, Anna has spent her entire adult life in the Bay Area, first graduating from Stanford University with a degree in American Studies, then going on to receive an MFA in Textiles from California College of the Arts. After beginning her work life in an education start-up, she’s now approaching a decade of painting with Magpie.
Anna loves to travel the world – recent adventures have taken her to Botswana, Vietnam, Nepal, and Guatemala, and she studied art in Italy after college – but thinks that California is one of the most beautiful places she’s ever been. Her adorable niece and nephew live in Half Moon Bay, a favorite hang-out, and she lives with her studly soon-to-be husband in Bernal Heights. She is also a certified yoga teacher and loves to make quilts that look more like abstract paintings, often from the clothing of loved ones who have passed. If you’re interested in such a quilt, feel free to contact Anna directly.
Genevieve Smith
A native Californian, Genevieve (Jennie) was an artist from the time she was old enough to pick up a pencil in her hometown of Monterey. After graduating with a BA in Studio Art from UC Santa Barbara, she moved to the Bay Area and began working as a decorative painter for Willem Racke and others, until teaming up with Anna in 2000.
Jennie is the mother of a tow-headed toddler named Cora, and lives with her studly husband and spunky daughter in Oakland. She continues to paint in oils and show her work in various galleries, as well as selling greeting cards and prints of some of her paintings that can be found at www.boundword.com. We call her McGyver for her ingenious solutions to household problems, and she also happens to be a whiz in the kitchen.