Meet ‘Pop & Toast’ artist Anna McKeown

My champagne bottles have become a signature for my brand, and each painting signifies a particular connection to a place, a person, a time gone by, but most of all, a celebration. I will showcase a range of my bottle artwork as part of ‘The 5am Club,’ at Iris Dubai.

In June I will be showcasing a new NFT (non-fungible token) gallery – the first of its kind in the world. I will be exhibiting 10 pieces of artwork which will be transformed into 10 unique NFTs. I also have a continuous stream of commissions which are for private clients.

I have always had a passion for art from an early age. I only ever saw myself working in a creative career, such as interior design, teaching, curation, consultancy or as an artist. I studied art history and contemporary studies alongside Fine Art at the Glasgow School of Art, so different genres and artists have influenced me over the years. I also spent time studying Fine Art in Cal Arts in Los Angeles, alongside pioneering artists from around the world, which paved the way to the creative journey I am on.

Prior to working as an artist, I was an arts educator for nearly a decade. I taught students for years to aspire, dream and always try their best to reach their goals – a few years ago, I decided to follow my own teachings and actually live my dream of being an artist, and I haven’t looked back.

I have been influenced by many different genres and artists over the years – such as the Female Abstract Expressionists from the 1950s, particularly De Kooning, Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell, with their freedom of expression and use of bright colours. I have also admired the 1990’s Brit Shock art movement, with artists such as Tracey Emin, Jenny Saville and Vanessa Beecroft. This was followed with a fond appreciation for abstract figurative female artists, such as Dana Schutz and Marlene Dumas.

I also admire Yayoi Kusama, for her bold collaborations with fashion powerhouses, such as her most recent work with Louis Vuitton. Yayoi Kusama is known around the world as an artist with a signature style of inserting motifs that transform empty canvases into colourful printed works of art. The addition of her characteristic polka dots represents an image of infinity. Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama unite through the pursuit of perfection in their craft. They both want the users of the accessories to recognise the time and effort invested in creating these pieces, truly works of art in their own right – I love the ridge between art and fashion.