Beginnings, Education, and Opportunities

After high school, Ann received a scholarship to Rhodes College - a liberal arts college in Ann`s hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. She intended to study anatomy and physiology in Rhodes` well- respected Biology department. Ann`s eventual educational goal was admission to a veterinary school or medical school. A freshman sculpture class introduced a fateful change in her focus. Ann enjoyed art but had not seriously considered an art major until she met Lon Anthony, the sculpture professor at Rhodes who operated a small bronze foundry on campus. Lon respected Ann`s talent and encouraged her to sculpt both animals and the human figure. The wide variety of sculptures depicting animals that Ann studied in art history courses at Rhodes inspired her to create her own powerful animal images.