About Anne

A life’s devotion to art.

Anne Burkholder has been painting Nebraska landscapes for over 70 years. Even in her early life, she showed a strong interest in anything related to art. Learning her letters quickly turned into doodles and drawings, and at the age of 6, Anne was given her first set of oil paints.
But much of her inspiration came from long family road trips across The Great Plains. As a native of the Sandhills, Anne loved to look at the never-ending horizon, admiring its beauty and anticipating the adventure that awaited her.

As a college student, Anne had an art studio in downtown Lincoln. It was close to campus and a great place to focus on her work and collaborate with other artists. She soon realized that artists needed this unique type of community and support, so in the 1980s Anne sold nearly everything she owned to buy a run-down building in the Haymarket. She was determined to cultivate a space where artists from every background could work and display their art.
The Burkholder Project opened in 1987, housing artists, their work, studios and a collection of stories for the city of Lincoln to enjoy. Since then, the Burkholder has become a staple in the Downtown Lincoln and Historic Haymarket District. Throughout the years, the alley to the west of the Burkholder has become more and more of a creative attraction for the City of Lincoln and in 2014 Mayor Chris Butler commissioned Anne to officially continue to create and design “Art Alley” in the heart of Lincoln historic Haymarket.

Anne’s art has always been about her experiences in nature – the way the clouds move across the sky in an afternoon, the water moves against the smooth stones or the trees are nestled together in perfect symmetry. Her landscapes are a reflection of her childhood memories, but also the moments that bring her the greatest peace.
Standing in open places, feeling the wind, smelling the soil – these are the moments she remembers when she paints. Her work captures moments, for herself, and for other who want to know, remember and cherish the beauty of The Great Plains.

  • 1962 B.A. Psychology and Political Science
  • 1971 B.F.A. Painting
  • 1988 Community Improvement Recognition Award
  • 1988 DLA Builder Award
  • 1988 Woman Artist of the Year Award
  • 1994 Mayors Artist of the Year Award
  • 1997 Preservation Association of Lincoln
  • 1997 Honorary Doctor Of Humane Letters
  • 2002 Downtown Impact Award; City Center Award
  • 2011 Downtown Visionary Award
  • 2012 Best Gallery in Nebraska by American Art Awards
  • 2018 Mayor’s Art Award for Outstanding Organization
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