Meet Anna Harrington | Creative Designer & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anna Harrington and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna, is there something you believe many others might not?
“In the end, the only person you can rely on is yourself” is one of the most misleading pieces of conventional advice I know. Relying on yourself and feeling grounded in your purpose/identity is important, but people are social beings that need connection, support, and communities. People can and should rely on others for help, encouragement, and motivation. Personally, if it wasn’t for my support network of friends, family, and mentors I don’t know where I would be! They had my back when I couldn’t have my own. It’s because of my trust in others that gave me the confidence to rely on myself and I believe that relying on others is necessary and simply empowering.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have some fun plans for my artwork (coming soon…), but for now it’s something that I have simply enjoy doing with my downtime. In the past I put too much pressure on myself to create, create, create. Producing art felt more like a burden than it did a comforting release. Since taking a step back I’ve been able to settle into my craft and appreciate it tenfold. Despite the goals I have for the future, I don’t want my mindset to change. My art is my art and I won’t be making it for any reason, person, or thing outside of myself.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a creature-comfort kind’a gal, so no big ‘going out’ plans for me and my friend. Rather, I would take them to some cozy little parks including Eagle Rock Recreation Center and the quaint little lawn (sorry don’t know the name) above the Silver Lake Reserve. To parch our thirst, I would stop at Highlight Coffee in the morning and Club Tee Gee in the evening. Obviously, we’re going to get hungry along the way, so a much needed trip to Cindy’s Diner, Taco Super Gallito, and Glendale Pho Company will need to happen. Despite these fantastic stops, the highlight of the trip would simply be walking around the city. The most exciting fun times I’ve ever had happened unplanned – just a whole lot of stumbling into cool street art, casual food joints, and fun venues. There’s no right way to enjoy Los Angeles, plus – let’s be real – there’s way too much to see and do in one week.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Every single person in my life – the good, the bad, and the ugly – have helped me grow as an individual and artist. Teachers including Suzette Morrow, Dan Hartzel, and Marissa Bloom have taught me to never forget the power in creativity. Mentors such as Rich Browd and Melissa Stone have sparked my motivation to pursue a career centered around what I love and what I am passionate about. My friends Jane Tan, Zoey Reinach, Alex Houlguin (and many many more) have been there to remind me who I am and why I matter; they are truly my biggest and toughest cheerleaders. There’s no ‘one’ person or thing that I can shoutout. This short paragraph barely scratches the surface.

Website: www.artbyannaharrington.fun

Instagram: Artwork: @illustrationbabeee Personal: @potassiummy

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-harrington/