75 Hard Days of Summer

I’m sharing a personal post today, and not necessarily art-centered (although really it’s ALL related). So bear with me! Yesterday I successfully completed a 75-day challenge called “75 Hard.” The rules are: 1) Stick to a diet of your choosing (I chose to do no dairy or gluten, and mostly meat, fish, fruits and veggies, plus no eggs because of current food sensitivities). Absolutely no alcohol or cheat meals are allowed 2) Complete two 45-minute workouts per day (one of them has to be outside, no matter the weather) 3) Drink a gallon of water each day. 4) Read 10 pages of a nonfiction book (audio books don’t count). 5) Take a daily progress photo. Fail and you have to start over at the beginning… You are probably asking, Anna, why would you do something so extreme … Read more »

75 Hard Days of Summer

Gold Medal Winner for "King of The Wild Things": Behind the Scenes and How it Feels to Win GOLD

Last month, I was honored to receive two awards for my painting, "King of the Wild Things," at the 31st Annual Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition and Convention. Not only was my painting voted to receive "Members' Choice," but it was also given the highest honor: the gold medal! This year's juror was two-time gold medalist Johanna Harmon, who is one of my favorite painters and someone I look up to. And this award... well, it's one I've been chasing for quite a few years. It was one of those boxes I always hoped to check, but very few artists ever get to.  Needless to say, I've been on cloud nine for the past month. Lots of you have been asking about this painting -- the inspiration and story behind it, how I created this piece, and of … Read more »

Gold Medal Winner for "King of The Wild Things": Behind the Scenes and How it Feels to Win GOLD