Hi, I’m Anna.
I’ve always loved art. When illness altered my brain, body, and vision, I couldn’t paint in the way I always had, so I developed a pixelated grid style of painting.
In 2023, I was diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis, a disorder in which my immune system attacked my brain. I developed a movement disorder, tremors, and cognitive impairments. My senses also became extremely heightened, making the world a very overwhelming place. A year prior, I was diagnosed with uveitis, an inflammation of the eyes. My vision was permanently altered, and I will never see fully clearly again. I am still learning how to adapt to my new reality.
As my brain and body were compromised, I had to find a new way to create. It was incredibly frustrating to no longer be able to paint like I used to. It felt like a lifetime of skills had been lost. That’s when I developed my pixelated style of painting.
My paintings begin with a meticulously measured grid. Each measurement must be exact, as even one millimeter off can mess up the whole grid. I then paint each square, usually starting with black and gradually working through the grays to white. The grid provides a guide that helps compensate for some of the skills that I lost after my brain injury. I struggle with executing expressive brushstrokes, but for some reason, I can paint thousands and thousands of tiny squares. The process requires considerable patience and precision, and I still have the challenge of occasional tremors that can make painting difficult.
I work mostly in grayscale but have started to experiment with color. I especially enjoy painting portraits, though I also like painting cityscapes and landscapes. I don’t believe there are rules in art, and I expect my style will continue to evolve as I navigate my unique situation and grow as an artist. For now, painting in pixels is simply what feels right.
In 2025, my painting 69,540 was selected for the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition, the state’s largest juried art show.
Thanks for taking the time to read my story and explore my work.
