Kelly Anna

0:03 [applause] Hello. Hello. [music] [music] [music] [music] Hello. [cheering] Thank you for having me. I just realized that's the wrong film. Um, [laughter] and it's a really bad edit. Also, if there's any filmmakers here that want to do my new reel, please get in touch. It's definitely a need. Um, hi. Uh, I'm Kellya, artist and designer. Um, I work on everything from product, sculpture, installations, activations, collaborations, all the shins. Um, and my work is kind of inspired by sport, movement, wellness. Um, I'm going to try and keep this to 15 minutes. Might go over a little bit, so just bear with me.

1:31 Um, as it's short, I'll just give you one little slide of my uh my history. So, um, my whole family are Borum and Latin dancers. So, that's my dad there. That was him as a as a kid. Um, [laughter] it's been in the family a long time. Uh, and that's my brother there. I had to have it Sorry, that's really loud. Uh, I had to make it black and white because he had so much fake tan on that he [laughter] he was like, "Kelly, only if you make it black and white." Uh, anyway, my dad was an artist. Um, an amazing figurative artist himself. Um, so he was kind of my teacher growing up and we used to go to

2:09 these dancing competitions and I'd be competing and then I'd also be sketching whilst I was there. So that was like my very early um intro into kind of capturing movement. So this was actually me eight years ago on this stage. Uh well, not this one, the the old one. Um [laughter] and I mean eight years freelancing in the creative industry. I definitely don't look like that anymore. I have a few deep lines. Um, but today I wanted to talk to you about the fact that when I was on that stage, I had no idea what the next eight years was going to be. Um, I had a gut feeling that I knew what I wanted to do, but I

2:54 didn't know how I was going to get there. I didn't know there was no clear path. Uh, but I just had this sort of like blind faith that something would would come about. Um so I'm going to go through very quickly a few of the projects I've done in that eight years uh in no particular order. Um so I never would have imagined um that the first project that I spoke about at this event eight years ago would have led on to about six years of a relationship with Nike. Um and this was one of my dream projects which was uh painting a pitch. Uh this particular one was um called one football. Um and it was representing inclusivity and kind

3:42 of uh encouraging and inspiring young kids uh that anyone can come and play football. Um so I use the central circle as like the one football between both players to represent that. [music] Um, [clears throat] I also would never have imagined um being asked to do the artwork for the sticker books for the England women's Euro Squad announcement.

4:21 Uh, I'd never done anything like that this before and definitely not a graphic designer. Um, I wish I had more of an eye for it, but I don't. Um, so I didn't I wasn't actually going to take this project on. Uh, but I feel like that's one thing I've always done in my career is just even if something feels very out of your realm, just do it cuz you never know how it will be taken. Um, and it actually ended up being the most shared piece of the whole project. Each player ended up sharing their own gifts on their socials and the legends posted it.

4:56 Thank you guys always supporting. [laughter] Um I also wasn't prepared this eight years for the reality that things go so up and so down. Um, I had no idea how many times I would want to throw the towel in, uh, just because it just got so hard those, uh, having no work for months and months and months and thinking, "What the [ __ ] am I even doing anymore?" Um, and going through that pain, um, but then having a job come in randomly and you're like, "Oh, I'm back on track again." Um, so yeah, I think during those times of of those quiet moments, which we all have, wherever you are in your career,

5:40 I'm sure you've had them. Um, it's just about kind of keeping your head down, working on those personal projects. And usually when you're doing that, that's often when the the the the real work or the commercial work comes in anyway. um never knew [laughter] that I would end up on Sky Sports News with my own illegal world women's World Cup tease. So I basically I said to my agent Kevin, I was like, "Kev, how much trouble would I get in if I did some women's World Cup t-shirts for that are actually not for the Women's World Cup?"

6:16 And he was like, "Well, I mean, go for it. just like really keep it on the down low. Did I [ __ ] Meanwhile, London artist Kaliana is using her creative talents to highlight the tournament. She's known for her strong silhouetted figures and focus on movement, sport, and wellness. She's created her own t-shirts for the tournament. There's one of them there.

6:38 And she's also doing live illustrations during some of the games. Again, especially for young young girls, young people. um uh [clears throat] just the idea that kind of more and more people um are getting behind it, you know, not just girls, it's it's everyone, which is Yeah. So, I absolutely didn't keep it quiet. Um I didn't get told off luckily.

7:00 Um although this is being filmed, right? Maybe we cut this bit out. Yeah, don't keep that in. Um but that led on to doing this project. Um, I have my work uh displayed in Trafala Square for the London 24 finals, which was really fun. Probably the most stressful one I've ever done. For some reason, us illustrators get left with the last bit of time. I don't know how we must be all be able to work that out. Um, because it's I never get any time to do anything. It's like the last we're always the last one who gets no time.

7:37 But if there's anyone agencies in here, sort it out. Um, so I also got to be um artist in residence for Fenick, something I never imagined doing. Um, number one cuz I no way could afford to shop in there because I didn't grow up with money. Um, but it was actually amazing because they they've always worked with um, some of the most incredible artists and illustrators like David Down, who was my absolute idol. Um, so to follow on from that was an absolute dream.

8:12 So, [sighs] oh god, I'm nervous. I'm It's cuz I'm really trying to go fast as well. Okay, I can do this. Um, so I also in the eight years found out I was pregnant. Um, I was actually doing a mural for Mother London um about mothers randomly. So, girls, be careful what jobs you take on. You might end up pregnant. Um, but as amazing as it was, I was so petrified, so petrified that my career was over.

8:49 Um, at the time, there wasn't that many women in the industry doing what I wanted to be doing. Um, apart from Laquena, Sha Lena, um, who had kids at the time, but there wasn't that much representation. So naturally, I was actually so fearful that it was all over. Uh [laughter] anyway, my son was born um premature during a lockdown, so that was fun.

9:18 [laughter] He actually sent me a little voice note. Hold on. Good luck with your talk. You're going to smash it. So hopefully he's proud. Um this was a project uh that when I when it came through I as a girl from small town Ipsswitch could not believe was happening. Um I got asked by Nike to be the artist in res residence um to create my own collection. And I was actually pregnant when I flew out to America for this. Uh, and I actually kept it to myself because I was again so petrified that it would jeopardize the collaboration. I know that sounds odd, but it it really is a thing. Um, so yeah, it was really fun. I got to work

10:08 with the apparel team, the footwear team. Um, I was actually so sick in this meeting, but I had to like let put it off as like, oh yeah, it's just nerves. It's just nerves. But I was actually just [ __ ] sick from pregnancy. But [snorts] anyway, um the the project was all about um looking at dates in running history that's pushed the sport forward in some way. Um and so we created numbers 1 to five that then created the print. Um and this was the final collection. I'm still so proud of this this piece. Um and actually we put all the dates down the arm and I still to this day get people messaging me being like, "What are all

10:47 those numbers?" Uh, so now you know. Never in my wildest dreams did I think Justin Timberlake would ever be wearing my clothes. My mate text me at like 3:00 in the morning and was like, "Um, Kelly, Justin's wearing your top." And I was like, "Who's Justin?" [laughter] [gasps] My 15-year-old self would have been so proud. Um, but also I never would have imagined being able to take my kid uh to a project that we both worked on together. I was pregnant when I did this project. Um, and since that project and becoming a mom in the creative industry, uh, I've noticed that the industry can be really adaptive and

11:29 it actually isn't as scary as you think it is. Um, but it's definitely important for not only women, but especially moms to stay in the creative industry because one thing I've learned about becoming a mom is such strong intuition. And I always say this, like what is art without intuition? Um, [clears throat] I also had no idea that my own kid would become my toughest client. Um, this was him tryinging out one of the one of the stroller samples. Uh, he screamed a lot uh during this process, but um, he approved in the end. And then this is us walking to nursery every day judging all the other boring strollers.

12:16 [laughter] Zoom became a thing during lockdown. So, I ended up painting uh, their headquarters. [snorts] Um I also started making um sculptures uh of how it felt to become a mother. Uh I struggled actually quite a lot at the very beginning of it uh for a few years actually. Um and these are about her power uh showing kind of woman balancing these fears which is kind of depicting that that juggle between motherhood and career. I think we're as as creatives, we're so lucky that we have this outlet that we can just pour out when things aren't going so easy.

12:56 Um, I just wanted to go through a project a little bit deeper. Um, I know we don't have time, so I'll go as quick as I can. Uh, so when I was younger, I loved riding my little red bike. Um, I basically just took it around with me and took pictures with it in front of people. And this one behind a guard for some reason. Um, but I decided to create this girls city cycle club called GCC.

13:21 It sounds so lame now. Uh, [laughter] and we'd get together and we'd just ride around the city. Um, it didn't really matter if you were a keen cyclist, if you ride rode fixed gear or anything like that. It was more just about getting girls together and just riding around the city. we loved. Uh we even had Halloween rides, [laughter] but the point was really just about having this little community. Um here we are just posing. Uh but the reason I'm showing this is so basically I had that t-shirt, the Rafa t-shirt, because it was my favorite uh favorite cycling brand. And so my agent Kevin reached out

14:00 to them last year um and said, "Look, Kelly wants to chat with you. let's do it. Uh, and they replied saying, "Yep, she's been on our radar. Let's do it." So, um, they asked if I wanted to design the collection for their women's 100 ride. So, of course, um, I jumped on it. So, so I got to design the whole collection for the women's 100. Um, process is always really fun when you're designing a collection, but obviously like anything, there's limitations, budgets, timings, everything. Um but sometimes the work is so much bigger than you know my artwork. It's about the whole project itself.

14:42 So the women's 100 is a global uh global movement where women from all over the world uh get together and write ride 100 kilometers. Um so it's just incredible to see all of these women from all over the world um coming together from Japan, Australia, America, all just wearing this this piece. Um, sorry I'm really going quick. How much time do I have? I'm good. Woohoo.

15:08 Yes. Uh, okay. Cool. So, after eight years or so of using the same uh paint brand, I became obsessed with these guys. Leaf Frank Bourgeois. They've been around since 1720. Um, they even used to sell to Picasso and Matis. Uh, as you can tell, it's like massive fan. Um, so can I get a massive drum roll, please? The biggest one. Even bigger.

15:39 I finally have my own paint color. [laughter] So, um, yeah, I have my own, uh, paint color. I called it blur keiana. It was really funny because they um they actually chose like six artists to come up with their own colors and um they're all like Californiaifornian blue, secur pink and I was like [ __ ] that. I'm having my name on it.

16:08 [laughter] So if you want to buy one um they're in stores although I don't actually know if they're in the UK yet. Anyway, um but it was amazing cuz they got me to go out to Paris and paint the store which is in front of the NRAAM and this is actually where Matis and Picasso used to go and buy their paint. So massive circle for me.

16:28 Um in the eight years I never ever imagined that after my talk with it's nice that it kind of propelled me into doing talks. Um and I've been able to travel the world uh from Australia all over Europe. Um, and I've now spoken at over 25 uh different bigger some of the biggest art and design conferences speaking about everything from motherhood in the creative industry um to burnout and the importance of community.

16:58 Very important. But I think that's one thing that I'll never give give up on. However, wherever I am in my career is just whenever you get those little pockets of of chance, just [ __ ] take it because um like last night, I had no idea how I was going to make a 45minute talk into a 10-minute. Um but I hope you've taken away at least something from this. Um so, I also wasn't aware that AI would be a thing. Not sure if you've heard of this. Um, the one thing about AI, uh, that I think can't take away from all of us is our passion, um, our passion for making, um, my love for picking up a bit of charcoal, paint,

17:39 random materials, and just making. Um, often some of my best work has come during really dry spells of commercial work and I've just thought, "Fuck it. The only thing I can do is pick up a pen." Um, and the one thing we can fight against it, I mean, it's [ __ ] here, isn't it? We're We're dealing with it, but whatever. Um, I guess not fight against it, but be one with it, uh, is the fact that AI can't be unhinged. It can't be scatty. It can't [ __ ] up. It can't make mistakes. Although, actually, it really can because it's some of them really bad. But anyway, um, some of my best work has come from my mistakes. So,

18:17 uh, oopsie. Um, and then I never knew that one of those really ripped up bits of canvas would end up hanging in Surbees and being auctioned off. [laughter] Uh, and that's the best thing about what we do. We can never foresee what is going to happen. Um, it's the beauty in what we do. You can be drawing something in your studio one day and it'll be hanging in Sures the next. Um, also that canvas has a really bad bit of artwork on the back of it. So, whoever bought that has got two for the price of one.

18:50 Um, anyway, I'm definitely out of time. I must be. So, I honestly have no idea what's going to happen over the next eight years. Um, but what I do know is that if I keep putting my foot one foot in front of the other with a little bit of blind faith, um, things will definitely keep coming. It feels quite scary not knowing where the path is going to. It definitely feels like that in the creative world. Um, but sometimes that's kind of where the magic happens.

19:20 Um, and maybe in eight years one of you will be up here talking about all the things you thought were impossible. So, thank you.