We were lucky to catch up with Anna Dean recently and have shared our conversation below.
Anna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
My Mother was an artist. She died when I was eight years old. My earliest memories were sitting on the shag carpet floor in our basement, watching her draw. She had a big sheet of paper, and I watched as she drew a curve, and then another line – with just a few simple marks, she created a bunny that was so full of life… he could almost leap off the page. To me, that was magic. I wanted to make magic like that. I guess you could say I have spent my entire life chasing that bunny.
My art doesn’t look anything like my Mom’s art, but I hope that when people see it, and hang it in their homes, they will have the same sense of fascination and wonder. Good art goes beyond just being pretty – it can help us expand our thinking, and it can help us communicate beyond the boundaries of language.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I have been making art my entire life. I started my career in Art Education, and I have taught every grade from Kindergarten through Graduate school. In recent years, I have shifted gears and I am now teaching less, and putting more emphasis on my personal artwork.
I work in many different media including large scale mixed media works, sculpture, video and installation. Recently, I have been making large scale works for corporate clients. With a push to bring people back into the office, many clients find that art can help make workspaces places that people enjoy spending time. Thoughtfully curating art into corporate spaces, especially when the the work speaks to the mission of the company, can expand the thinking that happens in the workplace and generate rich and meaningful conversations.
I enjoy making custom works of art for corporate spaces because I love making connections. I recently created two large pieces for Atrium Health System, incorporating Covid Vaccine vials, along with quotes from front line workers. I interviewed Atrium staff members, and asked them what lessons they would like to carry forward, that they learned from the way the medical system had to shift during the Covid-19 pandemic. These quotes were etched into acrylic and now they hang in the lobby of the hospital, as a way to remember the sacrifices of front line workers, and to provide hope as we continue to battle the effects of the pandemic.
I love working with corporate clients to create custom one-of-a-kind works of art that speak to their mission and beliefs. Art can help us all find common ground, and it provides a platform for meaningful conversation.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I went back to Graduate school in my 40’s. Prior to that, my work was very photorealistic. I was painting lots of symbolic portraits and I often worked from photos. I had a brilliant professor, Shaun Cassidy, who really shifted my perspective with one important question – he asked, “If you already know what it is going to be – then do you really need to make it? If you can already see it clearly in your mind – what is the point?”
This was a huge turning point for me because I began to realize that it is important for me to leave room for the work to speak for itself… I do not need to plan it all out before I set to work – it is okay to dive in and let the work resolve itself during the process. I made the shift to process based abstraction because I find great satisfaction in the tension between controlling the work, and leaving room for unexpected things to occur. It becomes a bit of a dance between myself and something beyond myself – the work is finding itself, and it’s powerful to witness that happen and to be a part of the process.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Being an artist requires you to be really grounded in your own voice. It is easy to get off track- to chase sales or to jump on board with current market trends. Being a unique voice in the Arts means certain rejection, and it’s a tough pill to swallow, when you make art that comes straight from the heart.
I apply to a lot of art shows, residencies and grants, and although I have been blessed with many wonderful opportunities, I also get my fair share of rejections. When the rejections started to weigh on me, I decided to take action – I created a box, etched with the text, “illegitimi Non Corundum” which translates to “Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down”. Each time I get a rejection letter, I burn it and add the ashes to my box. Once my box is full of ashes, I am going to send them off to be pressed into a diamond. 
Contact Info:
- Website: www.annadeanart.com
- Instagram: @annadeanart
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-dean-665b1b33/
- Twitter: @rightbrainsc