Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Sidana.
Hi Anna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After a lifetime career in technology marketing, about six years ago, I decided to pivot into the arts. A happenstance evening art class pulled me in and awakened a desire to explore art at a deeper level. Going back to school for an MFA was one of the best decisions of my life. I experienced a transformative shift that freed me from any self-doubt and societal constraints. I immersed myself into the arts completely and started on the path to a very fulfilling life. It was as though I was living again for the first time and seeing the world with new eyes. I devoured every art book I could find and got inspiration from the lives of many artists. I realized that I just had to paint.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The art world is one of the mysteries of our society. Unlike business, there is no clear path or measure of success. It is a large amorphous ecosystem that is very subjective and hence, it was challenging to decipher and navigate. Especially as an older artist coming to the arts late in life, I found that I had so much to learn. I was learning to speak the language of art and the nuances of establishing an art practice with few mentors or guidelines. While it was challenging, my prior life in business was also helpful in being able to sift through and find what was important for me. Regardless of the challenges, I enjoyed every step and continue to find inspiration for my work.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My art practice explores an emotional connection with complex family histories shaped by colonialism, immigration, and the dilution of one’s identity. Art has been a means of coming to terms with my childhood and deciphering my challenging yet inspiring Indian culture. As an immigrant, I feel a kinship with several cultures simultaneously – at times, feeling very much at home and at other times quite unsettled.
Searching for a connection with my culture, I stumbled upon hazy childhood memories of endless play at our family farm in Rajasthan, India. A ragged black-and-white photograph of my grandmother at the spinning wheel immediately transported me back to the farm where we had spent many blissful vacations as children, devouring fresh mangoes and pomegranates and running in endless fields of cotton. Those symbols and their stories became the centerpiece of my paintings as I delved deeper into the complicated history of my family, cotton, and colonialism.
I am very humbled to have had the courage to go back to school at a later stage in life and to have pivoted into the arts. I am also proud of being accepted in the de Young Open twice, having been able to attend a few art residencies, having a solo show at the Pamela Walsh Gallery, and for being able to find my inspiration from my childhood and family history.
What do you think about happiness?
Making art makes me happy. I enjoy the whole process. From researching new ideas, experimenting with my work, and spending time in my studio. I find the time in the studio as meditative even though I am so actively creating art. Art has been very healing and has provided the means for exploring myself and our humanity from many different perspectives. Art has provided me with the tools to observe, think, and work harder and deeper than ever before. It has provided satisfaction and contentment to a level where I cannot wait to go my studio every morning. It has given me the ability to focus on what is important in life and enabled me to leave the rest behind.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.annasidana.com
- Instagram: @annasidana
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annasidanasart
- Linkedin: Anna Sidana
