About

Anna graduated from Oklahoma State University in December of 2013 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She was awarded numerous academic scholarships, including the Medical Heritage Scholarship. Her exhibitions include Kansas OSAS Exhibition, Kansas City, MO; The New West, Royce Myers Gallery, Tulsa, OK; IAO Biting the Apple, Oklahoma City, OK; and Downtown Subscription Solo show, Santa Fe, NM. Following graduation, Anna was chosen for a prestigious, yearlong internship with world famous sculptor, David Phelps. Upon completion, Anna embarked on her own art career specializing in illustrating and painting. Anna incorporated her business, ARA Inc., in 2014 and gained representation by Royce Myers Gallery in 2015. Anna now has paintings permanently installed in eleven different states. She specializes in custom illustrating and oil/acrylic painting commissions, and resides in Chicago, IL. 

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​Artist Statement

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Many words never go a long way, so I choose my words carefully. My interest in art stemmed from a natural curiosity.And like most, my story has ebbed and flowed through good and bad times; one never existing without the other. From seamlessly fusing to brashly colliding with the stories of others, it’s these intersections that I find the inspiration for my work. Simply put, it’s about my connections. A word in some minds that may seem simple or broad or bogus, but facts remain regardless of opinions. I am also inspired by art’s timeless ability to bring people together. I believe this timelessness is what makes art so powerful, it's a force that transcends time and space, connecting us all. It bridges divides, challenges biases, and sparks conversations, and doesn’t need a bunch of big words or long speeches to do so. Whether I’m painting, illustrating, or sculpting, the intent is simple. I create art because I want to do the same: to express old, and create new, connections. That is to say, if this were never read, it wouldn’t change a thing.

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Window Series

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This collection, titled The Window Series, combines the techniques I have developed over time with my deep fascination for nature, color, and style-bending. I chose to incorporate sleek modern concepts with abstract touches, realism with otherworldly overtones, and strong accentuations with soft blends to reflect the theme of my work: perspective. 

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“Perspective” is a term often used in the art world and frequently appears in artist statements about expression and viewpoint. However, I have dedicated this body of work to exploring the definition of perspective. It represents how we see things, curated by the myriad of messy variables that shape our character throughout our lives. Perspective is universal; it’s not exceptional, but it is significant. 

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Each painting contains elements that carry specific meanings to the word “perspective.” I selected birds as the subject as a reminder that we are all unique while also fundamentally the same. The bold black lines symbolize window frames, representing that though we may all see what lies on the other side of the glass, our thoughts, beliefs, and understanding of what we see can differ greatly. I include elements representative of clouds and waterfalls, serving as both earthly spaces for their respective bird and as a means to transition from the literalness of the birds to the obscure. Lastly, the orbs with their celestial qualities are intended to be subjective, in reference to maintaining an open mind when there are so many different perspectives on all things in life. We grow, the unknown becomes known, the familiar becomes unfamiliar, our perspectives shift, and so may what this work means to you.