Embrace The Journey

From a woman passionate in her journey, this inspired collection of poetry and art shines light on the kindred hopes of the human spirit. The author's intimate expression of experiences, personal encounters, unique perceptions transcends cultures east and west with enduring themes of love, nature, harmony, beliefs, challenges, strength and resilience. Uniquely talented as poet and visual artist, she brings a voice rich in color, depth, texture, excitement that adds a multidimensionality to the readers' experience. Growing up in Manila, she has experienced the joie de vivre of a people, their generosity, and love for dance and music. Living in America from the early immigrant transcending through the adaptation and realized successes, she has seen abundance, natural wonders and freedoms. To feel, to be alive is a mantra through this Asian American's journey. "This collection must be read reflectively because each poem fosters greater awareness about the mystery of living that the readers may otherwise ignore if they let the mundane world overpower them." (Greg S. Castilla, author of 8 books)

Embrace the Journey is an inspired collection of poetry and art that shines light on the kindred hopes of the human spirit. Its intimate expression of experiences, personal encounters, unique perceptions speaks of enduring themes of love, nature, harmony, struggles, beliefs, commitments and triumphs. Transcending cultures east and west, the author brings a voice rich in color, depth, texture, excitement and adds a multidimensionality to the readers' experience. To feel, to be alive is a mantra through this Asian American's journey. It reveals a creative spirit "deeply engaged with life with all its complexities". (Greg S. Castilla, author of 8 books). The collection includes some "powerful, mesmerizing paintings... some...artwork echo the eroticism found in Gustav Klimt's The Kiss, others reflect the universal longing of women..." (Marilen Abesamis, former staff of the Book Review, New York Times). Armed with pen, brush, imagination, the author welcomes you to engage in her journey.

Ann Marie is an Asian American immigrant born in Metro Manila, the 6th child in a family of 12 siblings with Filipino, Chinese, Spanish ancestry. Her father was a successful businessman who died in his late 50's with her mother becoming the grand matriarch to the end of her life. Her paternal grandparents of Buddhist influence migrated to the Philippines from the Fujian province of China. She came to the United States at age 24 to exhibit her Indonesian Batik art and attend Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois for an MBA. She went on to a successful business career in San Francisco in financial leadership roles. She has won numerous art awards and was a finalist among 4000 entries in the renowned Artist magazine. Her art interest began in her teens studying Chinese painting on weekends at the historic Manila Hotel. She then learned the complex art of Indonesian Batiking using hot waxes on cloth which she applied to create Filipino inspired art. Her Batiks landed her in the United States for an exhibit and gala presentation that changed the course of her life. Retired from the corporate world, she took up the brush initially using oils as her medium, then on to experimental layering with mixed media. Her intuitive paintings are described to have "soul". She was a member of the California Watercolor Association and other art groups in Northern California. Her poetry emerged in the late 1990s and continued as an artistic pursuit through the decades. Married to an internationally acclaimed concert pianist, Gregory Taboloff, she also has an affinity for opera and classical music.