sycamore q + a {no. 56}: Anna Laurie Mackay

Anna Laurie Mackay and I met during our undergraduate days at Brigham Young University, and as coincidence would have it, found ourselves moving to Columbus, Ohio at the same time a few years later. I went to a couple of her exhibitions out there, and was so impressed with the ephemeral beauty of her work. Although she's shared some wonderful photos with us, it's nearly impossible to capture the intricacy and nuance of her work in a photograph. If you get the chance, I highly suggest viewing her work in person.

1) How did you become an artist?

Ever since I was a little child, I have always found enjoyment and fulfillment out of making things. Crayons and my Easy Bake oven were my favorite things to play with. So "becoming" an artist was not really something I had to decide to do, it has been a gradual and constant part of my entire life. Studying art in college and grad school pushed me to think about things more conceptually and further ingrained art as part of my identity.

2) What's been inspiring you lately?

I think a lot about my relationship to my surroundings. I am very interested in the physical, emotion and psychological relationship that we can have with space, especially the intimate domestic spaces we inhabit. That is conceptually the crux of my work. Lately I have been really inspired by landscape, and how we can become attached and connected to a familiar landscape.
3) Tell us about a recent project.

The most recent project I finished was a series of photographs of the landscape view from my childhood home, printed with letterpress on silk tissue paper. Working with photographic imagery is definitely outside of the norm for me, as my work is tends to be very much about my physical presence and mark making. But, I felt conceptually it would be interesting to start experimenting with literal images, and I plan to continue to experiment with it.
4) What else would we like to know about you?

In addition to my love for art, I also really enjoy cooking and gardening. It makes me so happy to see a physical product from my labors. Not much is better in life then turning some flour, water and yeast into a delicious loaf of bread, watching a tiny seed become a beautiful plant, or that first stroke of paint on a blank canvas.


Thanks Anna!

Her website: www.annalauriemackay.wordpress.com