We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anna Olejnik. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anna below.
Anna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
I think that’s a pretty rhetorical question. Don’t we all wish we would have started doing what we love earlier? I have known I wanted to be in a creative industry since I was a sassy and flirtatious little girl. I was utterly in love with being able to bewitch people with my lingering eye contact or my ability to entertain. Never once did I shy away from an opportunity to express myself.
Of course, throughout adolescence I found myself a little lost as most of us do. But the craving to model or even act never dissipated. I knew it was what I was meant to do in this world in the core of my being.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a Polish-American hobbyist-model born in 1984 in Chicago. I like to think of myself as a self-made sensation who knew early that I was destined to work in the fashion world. I began my modeling career in 2003 testing the waters with a couple of photo shoots. Quickly, I was enthralled with the process and knew I wanted to pursue this further. For the next several years, modeling was a very spontaneous hobby.
Through drive and dedication, I transitioned myself to become a business-minded and known model. After losing my father in 2009, I was quickly faced with harsh a reality check: “Life is too short. You can’t live with regrets.” As a result of the tragedy, I decided to no longer waste time. I went full throttle and really dove into my potential as a model. I had the pleasure and honor of having a lucrative modeling career for several years after that. I was self-managed and successful during a time where we didn’t have tools such as Instagram to promote ourselves. I had to use the tools that were available to me, market myself and work very hard to become a known name in the modeling industry. I attribute my success to myself and the many incredibly talented individuals I had the honor of working with. I have worked with over 150 different professionals in my industry.
I have a philosophy I live by with my modeling: “We are models. We are also ROLE MODELS.” So, why are so many of today’s models making girls feel desperate to be a distorted image of beauty and perfection, ultimately resulting in young females with eating disorders, a lack of confidence and even depression? Where have our priorities gone? We have a HUGE responsibility, something that many models have forgotten. Girls around the world should NEVER envy models or want to be a carbon copy of them. They should look at models and think, “I can do that, too!” Modeling is not about competition, it’s about INSPIRATION.
I would like to be known for being a role model – not just a fashion model. I like to be known as being a very diverse and versatile model with principles and class.
I have met so many unforgettable individuals in this industry and hope to meet many more! I appreciate everyone who has helped me come as far as I have, and I welcome the challenges and look forward to learning much more from every person whose path I happen to cross.
Currently, I no longer model full-time, but I do still model as a hobby because no matter where life leads me, it is still my passion.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Well, I am 5’2. That’s considered pretty short in the modeling industry. Often-times, that limited the kinds of gigs I was allowed to do. However, I did not let that slow me down. I always enjoyed doing runway modeling and loved watching fashion shows. Because I wanted to do more runway shows, I taught myself to walk in the highest heels I can find. As a result, I did do a few runway shows, and I did not let my height stop me.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I think one of the most misunderstood professions is modeling. There are so many people quick to judge and misunderstand models. There are a lot of stereotypes. I think the world can definitely benefit from enlightenment regarding the modeling industry. What those who are not in our profession don’t understand is that often the image we convey is not at all who we are. Each photoshoot is like acting. A model has a role to play, a part. It doesn’t mean that is a reflection of ourselves. We are artists sometimes conveying a message, creating art. We put a lot of thought and effort into producing something meaningful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.onemodelplace.com/models/ania-16
- Instagram: aniamodeling
Image Credits
Photos by Ron Thomas (r.t_images Instagram) and Arijit Ghosh (arijitghosh8 Instagram)