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

Annaleah, appreciate you joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit I was working towards a sculpture degree at California College of the Arts. I had specifically chosen to study sculpture so that I could expose myself to many different tools and materials and figure out what worked best for me. The studios at my school closed, and I found myself sheltering-in-place and attending online classes. Technological and material limitations quickly became a serious consideration in my practice. I transitioned from bronze casting and laser cutting to working with what was immediately available to me. This primarily included my old oil paints and scraps of canvas from previous paintings. I ended up moving back to Massachusetts where I completed my sculpture degree remotely. My family is based in Massachusetts and was able to connect me to the resources that I needed to create in many different mediums.

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’m a freelance mixed media artist from Western Massachusetts who specializes in oil painting and sculpture. My work draws from otherworldly scenes in everyday life to build narrative within the work. With a dreamlike and quasi surrealist approach, my recent work uses paint to employ my personal reflections of the COVID-19 Pandemic. By highlighting themes of isolation, rest, healing, and community, my work gives the viewer pause to consider the ways in which our lives are changing and being experienced differently as a result of the pandemic.

In addition to my commissioned work, I have a small t-shirt company, Annaleah Moon Studios, which turns my own illustrations into comfortable streetwear. I also teach private and public art lessons to kids, and have been enjoying being able to pass on the tips and tricks that I’ve gathered to others.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to sustain myself entirely off of original and custom artwork sales, as well as give back to the community with my art. I strive for each piece to serve as a totem of strength and radical positive change. I would love to one day own a space which would serve as a gallery with a gift shop that features my printed apparel, a classroom, and a studio.

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

In my experience, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing how people react to and reflect on my work. The ways in which our interpretations contrast and resemble one another is fascinating to me. Getting to choose how I spend my time rather than being tied to the same schedule and task every day has been has also been an incredibly rewarding aspect of this career choice.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://annaleahmoonstudios.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annaleah.moon.studios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annaleah.moon.studios
• Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AnnaleahMoonStudios Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/annaleahmoon