Anna Williams patrolled ski slopes, did field research in the Amazon Basin and flew tow planes, among other jobs, before giving into art to help her understand the fragility of the human condition that runs through her family. Williams’ life and her bronze art is the main Q&A feature in Guerilla Magazine’s newest issue (23) now available. It looks at how the recent university graduate grew up using her hands to shape the world, especially in her mother’s pottery studio, and how photos of her work “floored” Lisa Pai when Williams dropped in last summer to the Lafrenière & Pai Gallery between school semesters. She views her talent simply as a physical extension of the honesty she now feels about her thoughts, emotions and relationships:

Anna Williams. photo by Jonathan Lorange

“My work follows the meanderings of my life as I’m confronted by complexity or clarity. Some days I am exploring the outer landscape and at other times the inner, either can be confusing or simple. I try to respond as effectively and honestly as I can whether it is more conceptual or simply expressing a feeling of isolation within a community. I find it tremendously satisfying to break down a complex intellectual or social question into a visual vocabulary, but often it is equally as challenging to just express a feeling.”

Guerilla  23 also includes features on sculptor Adrian Gollner’s public installations, the winners of the Governor General’s Visual and Media Arts Awards, singer/songwriter Megan Jerome and a frantic piece about the 24-hour musical collaboration of six musical friends. It is available online here.