Anna Pottie is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice includes literary, visual, and media arts. Her collage, “At Closer Inspection,” is the featured cover artwork for ACWB’s 2025 Annual Report. We interviewed Anna to learn more about her practice and life as an artist in Wood Buffalo.
ACWB: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your artistic journey?
Anna: I've always been creative at heart, writing and illustrating my own little books as a kid. My love of writing and drawing led me into a career of communications and graphic design, but my personal art journey took a bit of a pause. It wasn't until the last few years where I started to make more time for art and rediscovered I could draw.
ACWB: What inspires your creativity and artistic practice?
Anna: Music is a big one for inspiration. Oftentimes, I'll be listening to something in the car and the lyrics will suddenly spark an idea or thought. I also rely on music while I'm creating, having specific playlists for projects. And people. My favourite quote has always been, "I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people" by Van Gogh.
ACWB: As a multidisciplinary artist, how do you navigate working across different forms of art?
Anna: It's tough to manage at times because something always ends up abandoned for a while, but I've learned to be okay with having multiple projects and ideas on the go. I've also just recently discovered how I can combine digital and traditional tools for my mixed media pieces, so that's a whole other level unlocked.
ACWB: What has your experience been like as an artist in Wood Buffalo?
Anna: Having only just gotten comfortable considering myself an artist, I don't have much to compare it to, but I can say that our growing arts community has been an integral part of that discovery process and it's felt nothing but supportive.
ACWB: What advice would you give to artists who are new to the region or looking to establish themselves here?
Anna: I would definitely encourage them to start connecting with other artists and utilizing the resources provided by ACWB. We have so many great spaces in the city to create art in all different forms, and workshops to gain new skills and make friends.
ACWB: Your work was selected to be featured on the cover of ACWB's 2024 Annual Report. Can you share a bit about the selected piece?
Anna: I'm a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland, so that had a big influence on the whimsy and scale of this piece. It's meant as a reimagining of reality, exploring the tension between modern society/life and the acceptance of art as an integral part in the balance. The weaving of the sepia industrial images with the colourful playful imagery visualizes that tension, and the woman looking from above represents the analysis and control of perception.
ACWB: What’s next for you as an artist?
Anna: I honestly have no idea! I plan to keep practicing my art and exploring new things, and hopefully continue to have stuff published because it makes my grandmother excited.
Stay tuned for your opportunity to snag a copy of ACWB's 2024 Annual Report, featuring Anna's artwork. You can see more of Anna's work on her digital portfolio.
