Check out Anna Dinkel’s Artwork

Anna, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
My story began in Kazan, USSR (Russia). With snow on the ground six months out of the year, I took to drawing as a way to pass time. When I was young, I used to dream of being a ballerina. At home, we had a big book of pictures of the Bolshoi Ballet. I enjoyed drawing the pictures from the book and dreaming of the future. I had an aunt who was a fashionista; which was remarkable considering we were living in the USSR at a time when fashion was a homemade industry. She had an artistic eye and inspired me to start drawing paper dolls and dresses. People started to tell me they enjoyed my work and encouraged me to develop my skills. I began attending an afterschool art program; which I really enjoyed and continued with throughout my grade school education. When I started college, it felt intuitive to pursue my passion, so I enrolled in an art school where I focused on design and craftwork. As I became more confident in my skills, I began to see myself as a fashion designer. But at that time in the Soviet Union, there were very limited opportunities for a formal degree in fashion, so I took the best available program for my drawing skills: architecture and design. After six years of concentrated study, I graduated with a Masters degree in architecture.

After graduating, I found there weren’t many opportunities for a young woman in the architectural industry, so I moved to Moscow and joined a friend who opened a small fashion design studio in the center of the city. I enjoyed the creativity, style, and energy that the world had to offer. The business offered an opportunity to channel my passions into productivity. I returned to school and took classes in brand management for the fashion industry. Unfortunately, as my career was taking off, my marriage was not doing as well. I was divorced and left a single mother, making her way in the big city. Fortunately, I made some great business connections and was promoted to operate a fashion boutique. Running the boutique allowed me to meet many fashions designers, attend fashion events around the world, and make important connections in the industry. Unfortunately, the ever-changing nature of the Russia post-Cold War made it difficult to sustain my business. I closed the store and took a trip to California to ponder the next step in my life.

While in California, I was fortunate to meet a wonderful man. We started a loving relationship that changed my perspective and gave me a sense that all of my previous experiences had led to this moment. After a year of being together, we decided to get married and started a new life. He encouraged me to focus on my dreams and, remembering the happiest moments of my childhood, I began taking fashion illustration courses. I felt a sense that my life was moving in a very exciting and positive direction.

As luck would have it, adversity then struck a few months later when we were severely injured in a car accident. I broke my right wrist in multiple places and it required surgeries with no promises from doctors that I would ever be able to move my hand again; let alone draw. I was in a cast for months. I battled depression and tried to maintain faith that I would be able to draw again. During this time, my husband was my rock. He was there for me every day; encouraging me and trying to keep my spirits up. After getting my cast off, I began the long process of rehabilitation with doctor’s appointments and physical therapy sessions multiple times a week. Slowly, I went from unable to move my wrist and fingers, to gaining the movement back one millimeter at a time, a little bit more each day. After almost a year, I was finally able to grip a pencil again and attempt a sketch.

Much to my relief, I regained my abilities and I redoubled my efforts; knowing now how easy it is to lose something you love. Towards the end of my rehabilitation, my husband started a new job in Portland, Oregon and we moved to the Pacific Northwest. I started taking on larger fashion illustration projects. Testing myself more and more and pushing the limits of my skills. My new standard was ‘the best I could do, in what I love, all the time.’ The weather in Portland reminded me of the weather back home in Russia and reconnected me with the early days of my childhood when I first started drawing. After a couple of years there, we moved back to Southern California.

At the encouragement of my husband and his family, I entered three of my sketches in a local drawing contest. Much to my surprise, my sketches took first prize! It was a moment of validation and made me start to look for professional opportunities. With my newfound confidence, I reached out to San Diego Fashion Week to offer my skills. They accepted my offer and we have formed a very positive relationship ever since.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My primary focus is fashion illustration; though I also have experience illustrating for live events, mobile apps, online books, and portraits. I create collections and portraits that suit the interest of my assignment; whether it is personal or professional.

When I draw, I try to capture the beauty and mood of my subject. I believe it’s important to reflect the personality and character of what I am drawing. With every stroke of my pencil or brush, a vision is crafted as I try to translate what I feel. My friends and family have often told me that my work brings out the beauty in my subjects. I consider this a great compliment because I’m only drawing what I see in my heart. I particularly enjoy the challenge of sketching live events where people can see my work as I take what is in front of them and translate it to paper.

I’d like my audience to know that I appreciate them. I consider it the greatest compliment when people react to my work. When you’ve spent thousands of hours working alone in your bubble, it is the greatest feeling to put it out there for everyone to see.

How can artists connect with other artists?
I am fortunate to have a small support team of girls that I have met, both online and in person, on the journey. Social media has helped me stay in contact with this small group which we affectionately call our ‘Art Gang.’ We support each other’s work and offer tips and encouragement as often as possible. We like to say we use our ‘Girl Power’ for inspiration.

My advice to other artists is to get out there; share, interact and speak up. Never stop trying to learn new skills. I’ve taken, and continue to take, art classes so that I can improve my skills and connect with other artists. The art world is a lot less lonely when you have ‘your people’ who also like and do what you do. Art can be very social. I like to sketch in public at coffee shops and at the local library. When you get out into the world being an artist can be very rewarding.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Right now, you can see my work on Instagram (@anna.dinkel.art). I am also currently working on a website which will be available at annadinkel.com. Please feel free to reach out to me as I try to post my latest work as I finish them.