Anna Peake

annapeakeart.com

For better or for worse, the environment we grow up in shapes us for life. It could be the little village where our grandparents live or the steamy, bustling city where we went to further our job prospects. They all mould us in long-lasting ways, becoming a part of our very fibre.

Artist Anna Peake creates art with the layers of our lives, literally! Her topographical creations are often re-creations of actual places. Immortalising them in metal, she uses techniques such as lost wax casting with contemporary laser cutting to create her pieces.

Having visited Wales on numerous occasions ourselves, there’s no denying its natural beauty. Was this is a crucial element of your artistic inspiration?

Absolutely. I grew up in Wales spoilt by the beautiful surroundings; however, I don’t think it was until I moved out of the country for my degree that I truly appreciated it and began to miss it. The rain, the mountains, the valleys, the green, the coast, I was spoilt with many beautiful spaces and places. Initially, it was its sudden absence that caused the Welsh landscape to become my primary source of artistic inspiration.

I moved from Wales to Surrey in order to study Glass, Ceramics, Jewellery and Metalwork at the University of Creative Arts in Farnham. It was a significant change. I missed vivid colours and intense textures of the varied landscapes that Wales has within a short distance of each other. From the heights of the Brecon Beacons to the Valleys where I grew up and then the beautiful west coast covered in stunning beaches. All these breathtaking places are with a few hours drive of each other. Wales is definitely worth a visit!

When did you first start experimenting with topography shapes?

The use of maps started back in the first year of my degree in 2015. We undertook small projects in which we were encouraged to experiment as much as possible with ideas, materials and techniques. During one of the projects, I experimented with maps. I researched everything about them, discovering topography – the simplification of a map down to the necessities. It sparked an interest in exploring topographical maps and aerial images of different areas, and to me this was fascinating.

Also, I am terrible at directions so investigating maps gave me a new perspective on the world, how the land was laid out. It is this layout of the land that leads to the creative direction of my pieces. Most recently I have been using individuals ‘important’ places to create pieces personal to them, a reminder of their home or a loved place. I love how the contours work together creating a modern aesthetic using truthful information that people can understand and identify with. The first piece I ever created was a tiny copper square broach based on my home in the valleys of Wales. My work then expanded to creating large pieces utilising the laser cutter and presently I’m working more with silver to create wearable pieces.

Your work certainly offers a fresh perspective on our planet and art, how do you keep evolving as an artist?

I try to keep evolving through exploration. The more I’m investigating the surface and undulations of the landscape the more they reveal opportunities of how to grasp it within a small structure- how to present it in a new way of Information Experience Design. Incorporating the key elements from each location into each piece is also a way which helps me develop. It is a challenge which I welcome, as the process of designing varies drastically for different people and their different locations. For some, it’s the importance of the river or the location’s association with the line of the train tracks or a favourite coastline. Also in each commission, the size varies dramatically, sometimes the request is for a ring or a large wall hanging. Therefore machinery, materials, size, colours all change to individually suit how the piece works best and with the commissioner’s needs.

What has being an artist taught you?

This is a tough question to answer, as I have learnt so much. I have learnt how art and making is such a rounded subject. You can’t just be good with your hands but one also needs other varied skills to plan, budget, organise and market one’s work. But this is also why I love doing what I do – because every day is so different. One day I’ll be investigating, researching, exploring, the next will be spent with a client learning about what is important to them- listening with empathy. Quite often something won’t go to plan, and therefore you need to be good at problem-solving, improvising and often taking risks, and being confident enough to do so.

I think something that is also extremely important is learning to say no, it’s so simple and yet so complicated to do especially within this field which so many take for granted, it’s still something I find extremely difficult. That being said it’s also easy to say no to opportunities because they are not entirely what we want. My advice would be to take any opportunity because you will learn new things and meet new people who could help in the future. Lastly, as a creative person, I have learnt how extremely important it is to have a routine, a plan, to set yourself deadlines- so that you don’t get overwhelmed and lose all motivation and creativity. Within your routine allow yourself time to look after yourself so that you can keep going because being a self-employed artist is like a marathon – you need to keep consistently working rather than one quick sprint.

Speaking of topography, are there any places you are looking forward to visiting and transforming into art?

There is so much travelling I’d like to do such as Greece, Morocco, and India and all these would make beautiful pieces. However, it often works the opposite way around- I get inspired to visit a place after making it. I am often elicited by the curiosity from the making the piece that I have created and therefore want to visit the place in which I have spent so much time studying. It creates familiarity, appreciation before you’ve even arrived. For example, I recently created the three highest peaks of Wales, England and Scotland, inspired by the three peak challenge. This made me focus on the shape and differences between all three mountain peaks, and now I have a want to visit and hike them all. However, I have yet to create a piece based around contours outside of the UK, and with a trip planned to the south of France for later this month, I believe it could inspire a truly beautiful piece. I welcome the challenge with open arms.

Have you always had a keen interest in becoming an artist?

100%, as a child I grew up in a creative family, both my grandmother and mother love art and are creative, I believe it’s in my blood. As a child we had a ‘making cupboard’ where we would keep lots of empty cereal boxes, egg boxes yoghurt pots etc.. And I would spend hours making things, anything – once I wanted a computer so badly that I made one for myself. I even copied the exact layout of a keyboard onto the keyboard I had made out of a shoe box lid. At school, it was always my favourite subject, and from there it’s grown into my career.

I tried for months to focus on more academic subjects; however, when I had the chance, I immediately was back making in the art department. I’m very lucky that my wonderful A-level art teacher gave me the courage to undertake a degree in an art based subject, specifically craft. If she hadn’t, I would have graduated from university with a biomedical science-based subject instead.

What are you passionate about apart from art?

Apart from art, I have many hobbies; I enjoy taking time away from all of the thinking. Travel is essential to me; I’d love to see as much of the world as possible. I’m also passionate about music of all different genres, and I especially enjoy seeing it live.

What does Anna like on her pikelets for breakfast?

Has to be perfectly melted butter with jam on top! Yum! END