Inside the Artist’s Studio is Artful Living’s exclusive look into the innovative, intimate lifestyles of creatives. The studio is a place of curating, of inspiring, of creating. These distinctive spaces play an essential role in the artist’s process and are a direct reflection of the personality and attention to detail that go into each work of art.
Anna Lisabeth Jeter (@anna.lisabeth) is an inspiring light when it comes to creating and living life to the fullest. Faced with a rare heart and lung condition at young age, she has been gracefully drawing and writing her way through pulmonary hypertension. Hailing from Excelsior, this talented poetry writer and calligraphy artist surrounds herself in beautiful spaces that influence her breathtaking work.
How would you describe your studio?
Bright, neutral, chaotic. And always changing from day to day. I am an innately disorganized creative, which means things are usually on the verge of being disastrously messy. I really try to compensate for that by maintaining a calm, unobtrusive color palette. And of course, no matter where I’m working, there always has to be lots of light to keep things warm and fresh.
How long have you been in this space?
I’ve been working at Golden Rule since the fall of 2017, and my creative pursuits have naturally followed me through the door every single time I’ve entered the space. With that said, my studio really extends as far as my supplies are able to go. My creative work right now is constantly traveling with me, from the desk in my bedroom to Golden Rule to coffee shops across the city. The sky’s the limit, and that flexibility for creation on the go has really served me well thus far. For me, art is always accessible and is never confined to any one space.
What are your studio must-haves?
Flowers, because they embody my adoration for fleeting beauty. A good playlist, because music helps to inform my posture and my heart as I approach my workspace. And a transitional perspective, because I need to be able to adapt whenever I enter into the fluid motion of creation. For example, sometimes a poem I’m writing will rapidly inspire an illustration, and it always feels important to chase those spur-of-the-moment ideas.
How does this space foster creativity?
Golden Rule is an infinitely unique and inspiring environment to occupy, both as a worker and as a creative. Not only is the shop space a welcoming envelope of creative energy and influence, but there are also so much heart and care behind the effort (and the artists) as a whole. It’s a space that has irrevocably impacted me as an artist, a place where I am truly safe to be vulnerable and honest, which is the primary requirement I ask of myself when approaching a paintbrush or a pen.
What’s the best part of having a studio in the Twin Cities?
The immediacy of culture. Minneapolis, in particular, is brimming with creatives and thinkers. Being able to step outside of myself for a bit and just bear witness to the significant work that is happening locally is so valuable and continually encourages me to keep giving voice to my own story and the artistic benefit of those circumstances. I consider myself lucky to be in the company of creative and civil progression, and it’s incredible that it’s all taking place within these cities I call home.
