Art2Arts Artist Anna Schofield

Anna, have you always wanted to be an artist?

Yes, my biggest dream has always been to become an artist. I remember as a child spending my free time drawing, sketching, playing with colours and creating. Unfortunately, I was discouraged by my family to paint as they believed I would never be able to make a living from art. Therefore life has taken me into first finishing law, then working in corporate businesses. I worked hard to climb the ladder at my last employer and I got a global and very respectful position. I soon realised that was not what makes me happy. I went back to college to find out what art really means to me and how I can work within the industry that will make me happy. After creating my first big project and having a very successful art exhibition I realised that I wanted to be a full-time artist.

 

Art2Arts Artist Anna Schofield

 

Your art is inspired by landscape, sea and sky, giving the viewer a sense of mood and drama; has this always been your style of choice and if so why?

At first, architecture, illustration and still life were the main themes. Even in college, I didn’t listen to my heart and I was choosing mainly illustrative projects or graphic design elements. My heart was telling me to choose fine art but for some reason, I didn’t believe in myself. Then my final project opened my eyes and I was at a breaking point in my artist life. I realised that I love working with oils and I want to paint landscapes and seascapes the most. Then I pushed myself to find my own style and had to paint different in a more contemporary way.

How would you describe your creative process?

I am quite impulsive and always respond to feelings that are my driving force. They decide if the painting is colourful and optimistic or moody. I work fast and like to experiment with different media. The best work emerges when I have no idea what the final article is going to look like. I play with colour and texture and enhance happy accidents.

 

Anna Schofield's studio view
Anna Schofield’s gallery

Where do you seek inspiration?

Skies, nature, mountains, sea, people, everything actually. Being an artist means being sensitive to everything that surrounds you. I love travelling, therefore, I take many photographs which becomes a very useful source of inspiration. I like sketching outdoors and focusing on one thing that moves me the most. Then that element feeds me with emotions which becomes fuel for another piece.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I have got such a complex mind and usually, there are many projects on the go at the same time, therefore I like starting my day with either meditation, a workout or going for a run. This helps me to switch off and connect with my inner voice. That inner voice is telling me what I want to do and to focus on next. When I am ready I select a canvas and start painting. The best days are those when I paint purely from my heart and let the emotions drive the process.

 

Anna Schofield

 

Which artists, living or deceased most inspire/influence your work?

J.M.W Turner and his seascapes have had a huge influence on my work. Anselm Kiefer and his use of different materials encouraged me to experiment with mixed media such as sand, glue, fabric, polyfilla and gesso. There are also many living artists whose work I admire. I always visit galleries, shows or random coffee shops with beautiful artworks to see whats other artists are working on.

Do you like to listen to music when you create, if so what sort of music do you listen to?

I love to. I am also a dancer, therefore music and movement are essential elements in my creation. I tend to listen to my selected tracks. There is never a pattern to it and I can go through pop, electric music, dance to classical or relaxing music.

If you had one piece of advice for someone seeking a career in art what would it be?

Listen to your heart and paint what you love. Remember that your results work in proportion to your input. If you have a desire to be an artist, work on it as often as you can. Everything will come at the right moment. Be disciplined, persistent, motivated, open-minded and remember that only the sky is your limit.

 

Anna Schofield in her studio

 

If you had a dinner party and could invite 3 guests, living or deceased who would they be and why?

Napoleon Hill, Picasso and Oprah Winfrey. Napoleon interviewed the most successful people in life and created rules on how to become the best version of yourself. Picasso had a dream to become a big, famous artist therefore he worked hard through his life and invented a new style and proved an artist can achieve success during his life. Oprah was born in poverty but changed her life around and created a new way of finding out what is most important in life.

What does the future look like for you?

Healthy, happy family, adventures, dancing tango to beautiful music and many, many oil paintings which will translate my feelings and bring joy to others.

View Anna’s gallery.

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