Eat Work Art SPOTLIGHT: Kelly Anna

Kelly Anna is an artist and designer renowned for the strong, powerful figures depicted in her work.

Collaborating with the likes of Nike, BMW and Penguin, Kelly Anna’s signature silhouettes can be seen across a plethora of different mediums; from large-scale murals to football courts, trainer designs and more.

Would you mind introducing yourself and telling us a bit about your work?

I’m Kelly Anna. I’m an artist, painter, and designer. My work focuses on powerful, silhouetted figures and colorful motifs. Female empowerment has been a narrative present throughout my career as well as a strong passion for sports.

Over the past few years I have designed trainers, painted murals, curated exhibitions, taken over buildings, and even embellished popcorn packets.

Can you tell us what your day-to-day looks like as an artist?

My son is almost 2 so the pace of life has changed a lot in the last few years. So at the moment, I manage to work either when he’s in bed or on the days I drop him at nursery. After a walk there with him, I will head to the studio or home and get stuck into whatever project I’m working on. Most of the time that means, client calls, researching, drawing, meeting deadlines…sometimes just!

In all honesty, if I’m not feeling creative on a certain day, I’ve learned to just accept it. Some days you just don’t feel like creating and that’s totally fine. We can’t be switched on 24/7! Usually, if I give myself this time to just put the sketchbook away, the next day I often have way more energy to start working again.

A piece of advice or something you've learned along the way that might inspire a fellow artist or designer?

My mantra is always BE STUPIDLY CONFIDENT!

But apart from that, some great advice I was given is to stick to what you enjoy and what you’re passionate about. Our work is often a reflection of our surroundings, beliefs, opinions, and anything that makes us who we are. I came from a family of dancers and athletes so it was only natural that I found my inspiration here. I think if you focus on what it is that you love, then people will see that and the work will feel genuine rather than forced.

Anything exciting coming up?

I have a few amazing projects I am so excited to share later this year but of course, I can’t talk about any of them just yet!!

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