Anna's Artist Statement
Alternating between watered down acrylic paint, chalk pastels and charcoal, I build layers to construct the drastically different, but equally inviting atmospheres I have lived in. My work attempts to capture everyday icons, of both Chicago and Utah through an expressionistic lens. Viewers relate to familiar icons while the contrasting mediums channel the unique energy I associate with each destination.
The pieces are mostly well known icons, but I also gather inspiration from the everyday details of the bustling streets and outdoor trails. While the famous Delicate Arch is an obvious icon for many, I am equally inspired by the constantly shifting reflection of Sundial Peak in Lake Blanch. I currently live and work in the Chicago area and continue working to capture the beauty of the manmade landscape..
Anna's Biography
Anna Celander, a Chicago native, is a mixed-medium artist and professional art therapist who has lived and worked in both Salt Lake City, Utah and Chicago, Illinois. Wherever Anna is, she gains inspiration from her surroundings.
Upon moving to Utah in 2016, the spectacular natural landscapes have been the subject of her work. Growing up in the Chicago area, Anna also uses the city as her inspiration, interpreting iconic landmarks in her unique style using charcoal and watered-down acrylic paint.
Her work has been exhibited in Chicago’s City Hall Visiting Artist Exhibition. A Chicago-based financial company also commissioned Anna to paint an oversized, fiberglass hydrant for the “Great Chicago Fire Hydrants” project—an art installation around the city benefiting the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation—and a corresponding mural on a prominent building off of a major Chicago expressway. Anna was commissioned again the following year for a similar project with large fiberglass horses, “Horses of Honor.”
She sells her artwork online and at local art fairs and businesses.
Anna is a graduate of The School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Art Therapy Graduate Studies Program and currently works in the behavioral health field as a therapist.
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"My family members are the sole reason I have become at all successful in this field. I'm so incredibly grateful for their encouragement and support. "