We recently connected with Anna Noel and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna, thanks for joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I love being an artist. I’ve always told my friends and family I couldn’t imagine my life any other way. I don’t think there is any other career path out there that would make sense for me. It is so blatantly apparent that this is what I was made to do. There are times of course, where I think having a ‘normal’ job would be easier. Being an artist is hard. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, but it is hard. Every day in the studio you are your own boss. You have to decide what needs to be done, how it needs to be done, and where it needs to be done. Nothing is cut and dry. Everything is a problem to be solved and innovation is at the heart of every project. Sometimes I do get exhausted and think it would be nice to mindlessly clock in for a 9-5 somewhere and not have to think about work outside of the office, but at the end of the day I know I could never survive that lifestyle. No knock to anyone who can, good on you, I just know I couldn’t.

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 got into art at a young age. I am one of five kids in our family and we spent a lot of time at home entertaining ourselves. I picked up every crafty hobby I could get my hands on; knitting, baking, jewelry making, sewing, painting, drawing, sculpting, etc. I did it all. Looking back I think this is what developed such a creative mind and I’m really thankful for all the time spent trying to entertain myself at a young age.

In addition to the time spent at home, we lived in a rural area and lived a very isolated life. This isolation also made me a very introspective individual which has shaped my art. A lot of my work is centered around relatability in life experiences throughout humanity. While there are plenty of differences between individuals, I think there are also lots of intricate details in individuals lives that we can all relate on and I find that very fascinating.

My work itself, consists of mid to large size multimedia sculptures inspired by a variety of topics stemming from adolescent years as well as the observations I have made on daily life. Recently my work has been manifesting itself into plexiglass forms, with hand dyed polyfill forms serving as the main subject matter. I speak on my own memories and experiences through hand felted and flocked handguns and childhood toys in contrast with rigid and illusive plexiglass forms. My work itself speaks beautifully on its own, but the collection of works, as a whole, really inform one another and tell a unique narrative that touches both on my interesting upbringing as well as the way those experiences have shaped the way my brain operates today.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

I’m all ears when it comes to NFTs. I think it is a really interesting side of the art market with a lot of untapped potential even now. I have minted and sold a few of my own NFTs here and there and it is definitely something I intend to do more of in the future.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Absolutely. I’ve been saying this a lot recently in efforts to manifest this in my future, but I am entirely driven by the idea of having a show at MoMA someday. It is a lofty goal but I think with the right timing and a LOT of hard work, it can happen. A few months back I went to MoMA for the first time and the entire time I was there I kept thinking how perfect my work would be there and how well it would fit in and now it is all I can think about.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.annanoelart.com
• Instagram: @annanoelart