Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anna Dugan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Anna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Yes, I am able to earn a full-time living from my creative work. It was quite a journey to get here, but worth every step. I graduated from UMass Lowell in 2013 with a BFA in Graphic Design, but I did not consider myself a graphic designer. I didn’t think I was good enough to get a job in “the real world” as a designer. So I had tried to find another path for myself in other industries – education, office administration, travel & hospitality. I worked in a number of offices and found a steady paycheck and benefits, but something was missing. I was always trying to fit creative projects into my life. It fueled a deeper part of me.

Over time I had dabbled in photography, illustration, light graphic design, and endless DIY projects. And eventually, I realized I needed to make more time for my creativity. So in 2018, I quit my job in Boston and started working at a travel agency in downtown Salem (where my husband and I had moved to). I told myself that I would dedicate the time I was originally taking to commute to/from Boston everyday to my creative practice.

I created my instagram page Annadidathing to give myself a place to start a public portfolio and a personal place I could track my progress over time. I started doing chalk art for the cafe (Gulu Gulu Cafe) across the street from the travel agency I worked at. I gave myself projects like my 100-day chalkboard project (creating a new chalkboard every day for 100 days) to keep myself accountable to myself. That project got noticed and other places began reaching out to me for chalk artwork. I also began creating larger-scale chalk murals on the wooden fence outside our apartment.

I loved working on a larger scale and wanted to see if I could get work that was more permanent than chalk. I started offering painted window murals to local businesses and then permanent indoor murals. Slowly but surely I started to gain confidence and traction. So I began applying to local calls for artists, like the mural slam at the Salem Arts Festival or the local mural wall of the Punto Urban Art Museum.

I was doing all of this while working my 9-5 travel job Monday-Friday, so I would paint nights and weekends. In the summer of 2020, I got laid off from that job. I had created enough of a foundation in public art at that point, enough to try muraling full time.

Freeing up my time completely had opened me up to be available for bigger and bigger projects. I have continued to hone my craft and artistic voice since then. I took the chance on myself after getting laid off. And it has paid off ever since.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a mixed race Filipino American mural artist that goes by Annadidathing. I specialize in murals of all kind: commercial murals, public art murals, school murals, and everything in between. I am passionate about public art in all forms, as it does exactly what’s in the name: brings art to public spaces. It makes art accessible. I believe public art is powerful and has the ability to weave emotional bonds between diverse communities, create spaces of representation, and positively impact our public spaces.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to learn: grind culture is toxic. I used to pride myself on just how much I worked. I would take any and every project, no matter what. I would shame myself for anything I felt was even remotely lazy. I would pride myself on being the artist who could “get it done.” And as a result I was frequently burning myself out, at the expense of my mental and physical health.

This was in part because being a freelance anything is scary and when you are unsure where your next paycheck is coming from, it is easy to say yes to everything. But I didn’t find my real success until I started to say no to projects. Once I became more selective about the kinds of projects I take, having a minimum rate, and prioritizing rest as an essential ingredient my success took off to new levels.

I still pride myself on being a hard worker, but it is no longer at my expense. I don’t believe in grind culture anymore. I don’t subscribe to an ideology that praises you for working nonstop. I have a much healthier relationship to my job now which it makes it more enjoyable AND more profitable in the longrun!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a mural artist is the ways our work can affect people. I have made so many meaningful connections with people through my work. Whether it be the ways they felt seen/represented or the joy they felt seeing one of my murals. It is always an incredible honor to know I have touched anyone in this way.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.annadidathing.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/annadidathing
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/annadidathing