Meet Anna Marie | Singer/Songwriter and Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anna Marie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Dedication, Purpose, and Authenticity. I guess those are three factors, but they all contribute to my personal and professional success!

I began “Anna Marie Studios” as a way to market myself as a creative of many forms, whether it be visually or musically.

I have to have dedication to my audience every single day to continue to build and grow a following, posting on social media often, reaching out to possible clients via email, and updating my website. I have to ask myself, “what can I give them right now that would not only help my own success, but keep their interest for the long run? How can I also help them?”

I found my purpose to create and share from a young age, and it wasn’t until recently when I decided I would make a living out of it, going against what everyone else wanted, going against the “safe route” for many creatives. I knew for myself that I would always be unhappy if I didn’t do what I truly wanted. With my purpose to create and to share my gifts, I set out to make a living, looking into multiple ways to create income without sacrificing what I love to do. Currently, that looks like playing music gigs around the city of Chicago, having passive income roll in from online sources, and completing painted commissions for clients, I even got to illustrate a children’s book for a client, a goal of mine for a long time, which will be available on my website very soon!

With showing true authenticity, I have learned you can never fail. There is nothing as odd as being up on stage and “trying” to be anything else than you really are. I often try to be funny on stage, without really reading the audience or thinking about their own humor, or I just completely bomb the joke. The result is disconnected and embarrassing. There is nothing as real as sharing a story through song, through art, words, etc. , and letting that expression be true to who you are and where you are in life. When you’re starting a brand, you have to be authentic because we, as humans, remember “the unique” and “the new”.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I paint. I write music on the banjo, piano, and guitar. You decide what sets it apart from the rest. I’m most proud of my decision to move to a completely new city, working on my crafts.

It was easy to decide for myself what I wanted to do, but not as easy acting it out at the scale and freedom I wanted. I chose for myself the path of freedom, even if met with resistance from people who were close to me. In the process of my career so far, I’ve learned to always set boundaries and rules when concerning pay, and to never sell yourself short. Always know the market, and never work for exposure or for free unless you equalize or make greater the value of the gig or job by getting tangible content for social media and beyond.

The world will know my story from the music and the art, my brand will follow.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh, this is easy. Chicago Style.

Take them to my studio where we create something for the day, whether it be an Instagram reel of us playing instruments or us making art, or hanging with my dogs.

Then I would make them some Chicago Polish sausage from down the street, continued by some apple pie I made a few days before.

We would walk North up Milwaukee Ave, passing by the charity book store where my mural is on the interior back wall.

Maybe we can visit the art museum, or go to the lakefront, or visit a new park around Chicago. If you’d like, we can go up and down busy streets finding opportunities in local shops.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shoutout to my love, and best friend, Xander Kazanowski, who has led me to this new chapter in my life and career as an artist and musician.

You show me to be strong every day.

You are my biggest fan.

You never fail to encourage and inspire me.

I know you are my muse, and I can’t wait to see what amazing things we accomplish together.

Cheers to actualizing our dreams. Thank you for everything. I love you.

Website: https://www.annamarie.studio

Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/annamarie.studio

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-skalicki

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annamarie.studio/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCWbQqRMjYywXKr9FIWHDdnw

Other: If you are interested in more, shoot me an email to be added to an email list, to request a commission, or booking! booking.annamarie@gmail.com