Anna Corba is joining us on our Textiles in the New Forest Retreat in the UK in May 2020, we caught up with her last week and asked her some questions about her journey as an artist…
What inspired you to become an artist and what influenced you as you started your journey?
I never really 'decided' to be an artist....it was a gradual process of learning at a young age that I had a certain skill in rendering, which led to dabbling at Art school until I found my calling in abstract expressionist painting. I didn't come from an artistic family but was always encouraged to follow my interests.
How did you get to where you are today?
I have a degree in Art History from the University of Michigan and studied painting at Academy of Art in San Francisco for four years. I've juggled many creative balls since graduation....gallery shows, working with designers and architects on theatrical restaurant projects, creating a handmade product line which I wholesaled for over a decade to shops both large and small, writing a series of artful crafting books and eventually creating workshops and retreats for others wanting to follow their creative muse.
Can you tell us about your process? How do you get from idea to finished piece?
I am inspired by collecting an array of gorgeous materials...usually vintage paper ephemera, books, ribbons and sewing notions that I find at flea markets. The beauty I find in these materials is enough to get me excited! For the past decade I've been most interested in collage making, so often I will gather various groupings on my work table...fabric, papers, trims, buttons and simply begin to rearrange them in new combinations. I don't sketch, I like to get my hands directly into the middle of things. One idea will lead to another and another....some functional, some merely artful, others lead to ideas for new workshops.
Tell us about a typical day in your studio?
I often work slowly and mindfully, but there are certainly days when my studio becomes creative chaos. I'm not an early riser, so a typical day may not begin until late morning or early afternoon. My days are varied between developing new ideas, allowing serendipity to occur, executing a series of pieces once I've decided on a direction, then following up with photography, packaging or marketing. It suits me to keep things varied.
Where have you found inspiration recently?
The retreat that I'm involved with in the New Forest, UK has opened up new doors of inspiration. I have always loved the subtle hues, nostalgia and romantic quality of the French aesthetic, but it's been great to be exposed to the more earthy palette and garden inspired prints coming out of Britain. There is a straight forward, no nonsense approach to their crafting projects, with less of an emphasis on delicacy, that I find refreshing.
Can you tell us about a milestone along your creative journey?
A milestone in my painting career was a 6' x 8' rendition of the paper telephone bill between myself and a possessive boyfriend back in the 1980's. It depicted him calling me every few minutes for an entire day...over the rewriting of the bill I had painted various gestural strokes, symbolizing my anger. I think I sold the painting and walked away from the boyfriend about a month later! More recently, my shadowboxes that contain authentic French Flea market finds composed upon vintage book covers, then captured behind glass, are my favorites.
Do you have any encouraging advice for our guests?
If you feel a creative tug in any part of you, follow that thread, it is a message from your heart leading you to a source of joy. I often encounter women who feel they need to be competent in design or techniques before showing up to class; this is not the case. Simply having a desire is what opens the door to what is already inside you.