Artist Statement
Meet Anya
“I help my clients explore and build confidence in their creative abilities so they can take an idea from concept to completion.”
As a child, I dreamed of becoming an artist. Then came the criticism. “You should make it blue.” “You should draw it like this.” Those critiques were enough to make me turn my back on the idea of becoming a professional artist for many years.
Even though I didn’t call myself an artist, I was always involved in creating and looking at life with an artist’s curiosity. I worked with fiber and textiles and called myself a textile artist. And I applied my creativity to my many interests — cooking, photography, gardening, calligraphy, drafting, cording and beading, travel and letter writing. But taking on artist as my title? That wasn’t for me.
And then, some years ago, as a mother of young children, I found myself taking art classes with my children. My kids grew out of the lessons, but I stayed on. I found my missing piece. I’ve been working with ink and watercolor ever since.
Today, I am happy to be a professional artist and to use what I have learned about creativity on my own journey to mentor and coach others. My offerings include open studio sessions, workshops, sketchbook studies, and creative process coaching.
My promise: As a mentor and coach, I’ll encourage you to deepen your interest in the things that interest you. I’ll support you with ideas and suggestions that help you explore and make progress with your projects. And I’ll help you shift your mindset to take advantage of your own natural creativity.
My motto: Everyone is creative in some way.
Artist Bio
Seattle-based sketchbook artist Anya Toomre works primarily in ink and watercolor. Within her sketchbooks, she captures all the eye-catching details she comes across in her travels. From grand buildings to chocolate bar wrappers, she documents the things that tell the story of how people live their everyday lives.
Born in Boston to an Estonian father and an American mother, Toomre grew up in an academic household where curiosity, learning, books, food, and travel were highly valued. Anya has lived and traveled around the U.S and around the world. She’s spent time in London, the Netherlands, Japan, North Africa, Cuba, and Portugal.
Toomre attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she got her BS in Sociology and Women’s Studies and her MS in Related Art from the Department of Environment, Textiles, and Design. The combination of this interdisciplinary focus and her interest in material culture — the study of people’s stuff — influences and focuses Toomre’s view of life and art.
Toomre is also an accomplished textile artist. She completed the London City and Guilds, Level 2 Apprentice Certificate for Quilting and Patchwork.
If you would like to follow me on social media or find my products online (other than what are in my shop), please click on the links below:
My Shop at Society 6 (www.society6.com/shop/anyatoomre) - This is where you can find my images on various products like framed art, wall paper, trays, clocks, shower curtains, bedding, mugs, etc.
My Shop on Etsy (www.etsy.com/shop/AnyaToomreStudios) - This is another site where you can find my cards, coasters and quilted items for sale.
For more formal bits of information:
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