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

Anne, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

One of the most meaningful projects that I’ve worked on didn’t really start out being a project at all! During the first few days of our 2020 lockdown, I went into a tailspin. Always used to driving daily to my studio, I felt a huge loss and lack of purpose and motivation, but on realizing that we were in for the long haul I got to work converting a spare bedroom to my new workspace. Every day I would walk around the 5 acres that we live on, taking photos and noticing the smallest details of nature. We are surrounded by active farmland, and even Land Trust acreage. I began taking my easel with me on my daily walk, and painted smallish studies, which then often became larger, or more detailed pieces back in my makeshift studio. I noticed nature with more intensity than ever before, reveling in the ever changing milkweed pods, teasels, shrubs and scrub. I felt very connected to the land and created a body of work over that isolation period that has resonated with many people. I continue to walk that land with an artist’s eye, and 4 or 5 years later I am continuing to produce work inspired by the seemingly ordinary landscape which served as my four walls.

Anne, 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?

My name is Anne McCune, and I am an artist. At the beginning of my creative journey it was not always easy for me to say that, as I was plagued by self doubt, and a lack of confidence. Did I meet some imagined standard, or did my work fall short of other artists’ paintings?

When I decided that I love to paint for the sake of painting, something shifted in me and I realized that was all that was important to get started. I took classes and workshops and then just simply painted. Inspiration would come daily from unexpected and often rather ordinary places and ideas. This new confidence was reflected in more sales, more awards and eventually to renting a shared studio in a vibrant art community. This led to being able to brand myself as part of this larger community; it provided a place for patrons to visit and view my work as well as a place for me to meet with clients who wanted to commission a piece.

My now larger studio is still the base for my art business. It’s where I paint, invite patrons and potential patrons to come visit, and where my studio mates and I discuss and create marketing/branding content for our combined space. My individual marketing is still done from my home studio.

More recently, after several requests, I have started instructing in encaustic wax, a medium which is fascinating to a lot of people. After holding an encaustic workshop for a local gallery, I decided to teach on a small scale, at my studio.

I have recently expanded my presence by joining a local cooperative gallery. This gives me the opportunity to reach a wider audience with my artwork, as well as holding workshops in their creative space.
Confidence is key!

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to reach a lot of people, and to hopefully have them connect with a narrative that will expand the way that they see and feel things. I respond to the natural world in a deeply grounded and visceral way, striving to reflect this in my work, and to evoke a similar response in my audience. Nature is our healer, and to share this idea is very rewarding.

Have you ever had to pivot?

At the age of 30 I took a chance on totally pivoting my whole life as I knew it. Teaching high school and living in the UK with a fulfilling and fun life, I decided to take an opportunity to go and teach in China for a year. Leaving everything and everybody behind, including Wellington, my beautiful border collie, I spent my time teaching English in a college, sight seeing with my adult students, and soaking up the old culture, art and artifacts, and perhaps most importantly, allowing myself time to think about what my next move in life would be. During my time in China, there were definite highs and lows, challenges that I thought were insurmountable, but I always worked things out and it instilled in me a resilience that has served me well.

This time away taught me that to embrace change encourages growth; it’s not always easy to face a lot of changes, but there will be personal growth as you navigate a new challenge. Pursuing a path of Fine Art certainly requires you to be able to embrace changes head on, and hopefully to move forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Behance.net/annemccune
• Instagram: @anne.b.mccune

Image Credits

Anne McCune