Story & Lesson Highlights with Anna Eastman of Los Angeles

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Anna Eastman. Check out our conversation below.

Good morning Anna, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day usually looks like waking up early. I’ll usually stretch, make a fiendishly strong coffee and then either go for a run by the beach or draw. I’m always torn right down the middle between using that early morning brain fuel to hit the ground running on my art, or to literally hit the ground running and break a sweat. I love the feeling of starting the day with exercise, but I always make the best art when I’ve been freshly caffeinated and it’s the very first thing I do. These are the daily conundrums I face.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I just stumbled upon a term on instagram— “slashie.” I think this term pretty much sums up my creative practice. It’s really just another way of saying “multi-hyphenate” and it basically describes people who —for one reason or another— have never been able to stick to just one specific career, hobby or niche. I’m an art director at a creative agency— which in itself requires switching between several forms of media— but in my free time I create portraits, murals, tattoos and, most recently, pet portraits! I think the fact that I bounce between so many different creative disciplines is just a symptom of my chronic restlessness. As soon as I make up my mind that I’m ready to commit only to, say, photography, that’s when I face a sudden deluge of ideas for illustrations, animations, videos, and so on. One of my favorite directors describes his ideas as guests who barge into his house without invitation. Similarly, I can’t seem to sit still with just one project.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I thought I was entirely unlikeable and an absolute freak as a kid, honestly. It isn’t so much that I don’t think I’m a freak anymore, and more so that the older I become the more I realize that all of us have some of that in our core and it’s about how you express it. I also always thought of my weirdness or the things that set me apart from other kids as weaknesses that I should be ashamed of. In hindsight it’s my unique perspective on the world that has fueled me to express myself creatively, (and in the cases where it has gone south and led to poor decisions, they’ve ultimately just become funny stories). I’m lucky enough to have found a core group of friends who I cherish and adore endlessly, and who celebrate all my quirks and idiosyncrasies in the same way that I do theirs. This is all simply to say that what makes you different from others is not something to be snuffed out or pushed down. Even when it leads to alienation, friction or pain, there’s always art to turn to (and usually is where the best art comes from).

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I can say with full confidence— mainly because I contend with this fear every day and am by no means “over it”— that it is my fear of disappointing others. I can point to one story in particular that just about epitomizes my fear of disappointing others and the price I’ve paid for it. I had just moved to L.A.; my eyes were wide, and my head filled with dreams of working as an art director on a music video for a big pop artist. I was obsessively cold-emailing directors in the hopes of landing a PA gig that got my foot in the industry door, and finally I heard back from the one and only Dave Meyers. He replied that he happened to be working on a video for Kendrick Lamar and asked whether I would like to help him on set the very next day? I was thrilled beyond belief and started drafting up the excuse I would tell my employer at the time so that I could sneak away to meet my creative idol. Once my plan was set in place, I called my mom to gush about the overwhelmingly positive news. No sooner had I started relating my plan to her than I was met with a reproachful lecture about how irresponsible I was. My heart began to sink as she told me that I was putting a good, solid, 9-5 on the line for a fanciful escapade that would bear no meaningful fruit for my career. Her words shook me to my core, and I felt that I would be disappointing her deeply (as well as my colleagues, should they find out about said escapade) if I were to move forward with my plan. Eyes filled with tears, I emailed Dave back explaining that something urgent had come up and I would no longer be able to help him but that maybe some time in the future he might consider my for another shoot. Needless to say, he never replied to my email and I missed the boat entirely. While this memory no longer carries the venomous sting it once did, I still kick myself a little for it. Let this be a cautionary tale to others! There are times where it is absolutely called for to say “damn the rules!” and proceed with your dreams boldly. That was one of them.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Hot take here, but dating apps! I am an incurable romantic and anyone who says that they aren’t the least bit romantic is lying. I think dating apps have eliminated the excitement, the challenge, and the deeply human experience of taking a shot in the dark with a total stranger. Personally, it’s one of life’s greatest joys to have a raw and real interaction with someone (romantic or not). Even just a friendly compliment or encouraging word from a random person on the street can really turn your whole day around. The ironic thing about all the apps designed to foster “connection,” is that by being glued to them you miss out on those real experiences!

Maybe what I really mean to say is that phones in general are where people are getting it wrong. I feel like they’re having a narrowing effect on social interaction where it all happens via text, and picking up the phone to call someone is borderline taboo. (Side note, I’m totally guilty of this too). Phones, and by extension, dating apps are powerful agents in the gradual extinction of spontaneous interaction. I feel like as you go through life, there are windows that open up around you for real, unprompted connection with others. Phone screens are increasingly closing those windows shut.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing? 
Throwing the greatest party of all time. I already know that I will regret not doing it sooner because as I get older, fewer and fewer relatives will be able to attend this dream party. That said, I’d like to wait until I’m at a financially stable enough place in life to throw an absolute ball for my close friends, loved ones, and then anyone else that those people wish to invite. I think the amount of stress and anxiety people are feeling on a daily basis is off the charts and taking a serious toll on people’s mental health. I think parties can serve as an antidote to all that stress. It’s a wonderful time to temporarily cast all your worries aside and focus purely on connecting with other people. In a dream scenario, I’d throw a party of grand proportions on a beautiful, stately property that is full of nature, outdoor sculptures —think Huntington Gardens— and beautiful spaces through which people can weave in and out as the night goes on.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://annateastman.myportfolio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lagraphicstore/