Interview
Anna James
Anna James is a British born artist and designer based between London, Berlin, and Mallorca. Her distinct vision is shaped by a robust background in fine arts and decorative painting, with foundational training at Smallbone of Devizes and significant time spent working with artist Harland Miller. These experiences inform her current practice at Love Anna James Studio, where canvas work is now her primary focus. Anna's art delves into the convergence of the tangible and intangible, establishing painting as a deep communion with nature. Her abstract landscapes are conceived as contemplative sanctuaries, inviting viewers to engage with the profound beauty in their natural environment. Her process, a meditative layering of paint is guided by emotion and informed by in situ impressions. The works grapple with nature's ephemeral beauty, awakening a sense of the infinite. Paradoxically, while seeking solace from the digital deluge, Anna references her photographs to inform her work, acknowledging our persistent technological connection. She investigates the wonder found in the natural world, the beauty of creation, and the enigmatic forces that ground and unite us. These investigations are channeled into her canvases, translating nature through abstraction. Metallic and earth pigments anchor the ethereal qualities of her work, echoing fundamental elements. Anna's work has been featured in Vogue, Elle Decoration, Frame, and Architectural Digest, and shown at The Wallace Collection. Ultimately, she crafts paintings designed to hold the gaze, offering a retreat amidst our hyper-stimulated age.
Photographer Credits:
Joe Clark - All works on Canvas.
Anne- Catherine Scoffoni- Portraits and studio shots.
Mati Alexandro -1 x black and white portrait
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“My journey through the art world has spanned both art and design. I love both equally and have always felt that learnings in one area reinforce the other. I started my career in decorative painting, with specialist training at Smallbone of Devizes, where I honed my understanding of materials and craftsmanship skills applicable to both disciplines. During this time, I also started my own furniture practice where I re-imagined vintage pieces through painting, blurring the lines between art and design. With a view to focus on works on canvas, I started a pivotal period working for Harland Miller’s studio, where I further refined my fine art painting skills. These diverse experiences have ultimately shaped my current studio practice, which now focuses primarily on abstract paintings.”
What inspires you?
“At the core of my current inspiration is an inherent pull to engage with the natural world. In the splendour of creation, from the intense, fleeting colours of a dramatic sunset, to the quiet wonder of a forest, my creative impulse ignites. I am increasingly drawn to forces that ground us, whether experiencing vast skies or serene landscapes. While my earlier influences often stemmed from the energy of city life, other artists and designers, I have returned to nature for inspiration, which mirrors the immersion I experienced growing up by the sea and in the countryside of the UK. Contemplating the ephemeral beauty in nature and the immensity of the cosmos sparks my imagination and fuels my exploration on canvas.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“My work delves into the interplay between our inner landscape and the external world, seeking to illuminate the connection we share with the earth. The underlying message is an invitation: to step away from the constant sensory input and screen fatigue of our modern age, to cultivate inner stillness through the physical act of creating, and to embrace the simple yet powerful sense of aliveness that nature offers.”
How would you describe your work?
“I describe my work as abstract landscapes that function as contemplative sanctuaries. Through a spiritual practice of meditative layering of paint, guided by emotion and in situ photographic impressions, I translate nature into an abstracted form. My canvases often feature metallic pigments that visually anchor their ethereal qualities, reflecting the elemental forces of our world. Ultimately, the paintings are crafted to hold the viewer's gaze, offering a retreat from our hyper-stimulated lives.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Working directly with Harland Miller for many years was a significant influence, particularly in understanding the dedication and discipline of a professional artist's studio practice. Beyond that mentorship, my influences stem from a personal connection to artists who explore abstraction as a means to convey emotion and atmosphere, allowing the viewer space for their own interpretation. Among these, Hilma af Klint resonates deeply with her spiritual abstraction and exploration of the unseen, aligning with my own pursuit of the non-physical. Etel Adnan's evocative abstract landscapes, with their bold colour fields and skill in distilling the essence of a place, greatly inform my approach to atmosphere and contemplation. Georgia O'Keeffe's ability to abstract and monumentalise nature's forms, creating an intimate connection to the landscape, is a source of inspiration. Lastly, Helen Frankenthaler's fluid application of colour and her process-driven approach to abstraction, where colour itself becomes the subject, continually influences my method of building expressive layers.”
“My canvases often feature metallic pigments that visually anchor their ethereal qualities, reflecting the elemental forces of our world. Ultimately, the paintings are crafted to hold the viewer's gaze, offering a retreat from our hyper-stimulated lives.”
What is your creative process like?
“I initiate my creative process with direct immersion in natural environments. This involves active engagement in field studies: capturing photographs, creating spontaneous watercolour sketches, and even incorporating natural pigments like Mallorca's red earth. These studies are made directly on location, on coastal rocks or within forests. While some stand alone, they predominantly serve as vital references for larger canvases in the studio. Here, collected observations are translated through paint. Paradoxically, despite the finished work offering solace from digital overload, I use my photography to inform and guide my painting, acknowledging our persistent technological connection. It is a continuous translation of felt experience into my abstract visual language.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I believe an artist's pivotal role in society is to provide essential pathways for profound self-reflection, emotional depth, and authentic human connection. Art offers a vital counterbalance to the inescapable noise of the current era and serves as a steadfast point of focus. Furthermore, in a world increasingly shaped by the digital, artists champion the enduring value of skilled craft and tangible creation, keeping these essential human practices alive. I see this function becoming increasingly vital. As lives grow more complex and externalised, the artist provides a necessary means to cultivate a deeper engagement with both our environment and our inner selves.”
