We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anna Tjernlund a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Anna, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Drawing was something I had an affinity for from a young age, but I never considered a career in the Arts as a young person. In college, I studied English Education for two years. Then, when I was twenty-one, I became a mother and I left school to stay home with my newborn. Motherhood inspired me to live as a role model for my daughter. I thought it was important to model the values I wanted her to have. For me, that means believing in herself enough to invest in herself and her goals. So, when I did finally go back to school, I enrolled in a Fine Arts program and decided to believe in myself and give a career in the arts an honest shot. My daughter inspires me everyday. I want to make the world a safer place for her: for all girls. My art practice is one way that I can try to make an impact, through visual representations of women and girls that are honest and complex and through myth-making that critically questions modern values and thinking.

Anna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

In my art practice, my focus lies on an exploration of the challenges and experiences that women and girls encounter at different stages of life. Central to my work is the portrayal of women across diverse contexts, seeking to encapsulate the multifaceted nature of their journeys within contemporary society. I love putting my daughter front and center in my work, but her presence is more than just as a subject. The choice to use my daughter as a model adds layers of authenticity and vulnerability to the feminist themes embedded in my work. Her presence serves as a symbol of the next generation, embodying the resilience and strength that women inherently possess. In essence, my daughter becomes a living canvas, a collaborator in the artistic dialogue that aims to provoke contemplation and discourse on the broader implications of womanhood. Through this unique collaboration, my art becomes a visual narrative that not only speaks to our personal bond but also contributes to the broader conversation surrounding feminist issues.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There are many rewarding aspects to being a creative person. Having an outlet for emotions or ideas can be enriching, and soothing. Personally, I get a lot out of my creative process. Rising to overcome challenges, and conquering new skills or techniques is incredibly fulfilling. I also see my creative practice as a way to process, and disseminate my ideas. I think it’s important to realize, however, that an art practice isn’t always rewarding, especially once you resign to make a career of it. Art can very much feel like work: like anything else. At the end of the day, keeping my practice fresh and exciting by constantly trying new things is what keeps it rewarding practice for me.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I have had to pivot a lot in my life. I pursued my higher education for almost twenty years! I dropped out of high-school at sixteen-years-old and got a full-time job. I thought I would get my G.E.D. and start college early, but that didn’t happen for all sorts of reasons. I didn’t make it to college until I was twenty, and then I got pregnant in my second semester. I dropped out of school again to raise my daughter and when I finally went back to finish my degree I was a twenty-eight-year-old mom with all the complications that entails. I applied to a school that was commutable, and affordable and luckily I got accepted. I finally finished a B.S. in Visual Arts at thirty-one. The Summer before my first semester in an MFA program, my whole body went numb, and tingly and inevitably I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I considered dropping out, or taking a leave of absence. In the end, I decided I would persevere, though I did take an extra semester to finish my graduate degree. The idea of finishing any kind of degree seemed so futile back when I was in my early twenties, but now I have a terminal degree in my field. Pivoting, for me, meant redirecting myself toward my goals even when life threw me off course. I had to pivot and find new ways of achieving my goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: AnnaTjernlund.com
• Instagram: @Anna_Tjernlund_Studio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-tjernlund