Creative Types: Anna Pollock

Since moving to central Kentucky in 2021, Anna Pollock has quickly developed into one of the region’s most in-demand visual artists – particularly in the Lexington-area music scene, where her posters, merch and stage designs have come to represent the aesthetic of a growing number of local artists and events.

Pollock’s artistic journey began during her formative years in Washington, including time spent living on Bainbridge Island, a hamlet located across the Puget Sound from Seattle. At the age of 15, she started immersing herself in two pursuits that continue to be at the core of her work today: oil painting and music.

“I remember being told to paint something we really loved – and at the time I just so happened to be in love with a bunch of band boys,” Pollock said with a laugh. “Since then, almost all of my work has been music-based, because it’s the biggest thing that inspires me.

“I love it when I hear a band and immediately visualize a creative concept in my head that goes along with what they’re doing on stage,” she added.

Over the past five years, Pollock’s work within the music scene in Kentucky and beyond has flourished. Not only does she design merch and posters for musicians and music-related events that include Nicholas Jamerson, Magnolia Boulevard, the Sleeping in the Woods Festival, Tahlsound and The Moonshiner’s Ball, but she’s also evolved to tackle large-scale endeavors like stage set designs.

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Pollock finds inspiration from many things, including the historic tobacco farm dwelling where she lives with her husband, Wesley Smith. Photo by Madylin Goins

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Pollock finds inspiration from many things, including the historic tobacco farm dwelling where she lives with her husband, Wesley Smith. Photo by Madylin Goins

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Pollock finds inspiration from many things, including the historic tobacco farm dwelling where she lives with her husband, Wesley Smith. Photo by Madylin Goins

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Pollock finds inspiration from many things, including the historic tobacco farm dwelling where she lives with her husband, Wesley Smith. Photo by Madylin Goins

“I had these two creative roommates, and we were all trying to figure out what we were doing,” recalls Pollock. “When we all decided to eventually leave that house, I knew I had to go back to living somewhere with trees where I can see the stars.”

She ended up finding that on a tobacco farm about 10 minutes outside of Hamburg Pavilion. It’s “far enough out of town to feel removed, but also still right around the corner from Costco,” she said with a laugh.

“I wish I was a Patti Smith type that really thrives in cities, but in order to flourish creatively I really need to be one with nature.”

Pollock recently opened up with Smiley Pete reporter Matt Wickstrom about what first drew her to Kentucky and its music, a neglected art project she’s brought cross-country in the hopes of continuing this year, and more.

What initially drew you to Kentucky from the Pacific Northwest? It was a series of serendipitous circumstances and just going after an opportunity on a whim. I was working at a bar in Washington and the Blackfoot Gypsies [a band now called DeeOhGee] filled a date there in 2019. Only four people showed up, two of them being my friend and I. They came in wearing platform shoes and furry hats and saw my eccentric outfit and realized I was one of them. We instantly hit it off, which led to me helping with a bunch of their rebranding the following year. That started to get my name out in Nashville a bit, leading to work with folks like Steve Poltz, The Minks and others, who are regular and frequent clients of mine now.

In October 2020, I decided to come out to Kentucky with DeeOhGee for a Sleeping in the Woods concert at Laurel Cove Amphitheater with Nicholas Jamerson, Brother Smith and others. That was my introduction to the Lexington scene, and then from there I started meeting more and more people. I was originally thinking of moving to Nashville when I came east, but after reevaluating things and being introduced to the creative community here, my interest was piqued, and I knew Kentucky was where I needed to be.

The bulk of your art is oil-based paintings and graphics, but what other disciplines do you like to explore? Illustrations for merch, album art and posters are definitely my bread and butter, but I’ll also occasionally do some papier-mâché stuff, clothing alterations or larger scale stage design like what I’ve done for Nicholas Jamerson’s [holiday show at The Burl] Hollerday Gitdown or Sleeping in the Woods Festival. Projects like the latter have been very validating and liberating and have pushed me beyond the limits of what I previously thought I could do.

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