Congressional staff of U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Marietta) chose works by Woodstock artist Ann Litrel to represent Cherokee County in the congressman’s public office, with paintings representing the Woodstock Train Depot, the Canton Theater and the Gresham Mill at Sixes Road.
“It’s nice to know that visitors or colleagues will see a little piece of Cherokee County history when they visit Congressman Gingrey in Washington,” Litrel said.
Litrel added that each painting will be hung with a museum-style tag detailing the history of the Cherokee County landmark.
Litrel’s work is admired and sought after by local collectors as well. Her studio in downtown Woodstock offers art lovers a chance to add her works to their collections.
Litrel is a native of Michigan who moved South soon after graduating summa cum laude from the School of Art at the University of Michigan.
“I moved to the South and worked first as a commercial artist, painting the things I have always loved best, the land and its creatures: flowers, butterflies, birds,” she said.
The images were reproduced on a variety of decorative products, from stationery to textiles, licensed and sold nationwide.
In 2002 she created The Eternal Garden, a fine art collection of nature images. Each watercolor and drawing is accompanied by a written meditation on the spiritual symbolism of its subject — flower, fruit or animal.
Two years later Litrel painted the landscapes that make up her American Visions collection.
“Beginning in Cherokee County, I found a panorama of images that showed the march of history through the American community — from frontier to farmland, small town to suburbs,” she said.
In 2004 she served as editor for a book on the relationship between health and faith, “The Eyes Don’t See What the Mind Don’t Know,” written by her physician husband, Dr. Mike Litrel.
Ann Litrel Art is located at 8594 Main Street in Woodstock on the second floor above Outspokin’ Bicycles.
Hours are by appointment and as posted weekly on gallery signage.
For information, call (770) 517-3060.











