Anne Schubert (born 1985) is a German artist and designer who lives and works at the Lake of Constance in Switzerland. With a background in media management and graphic design she has been actively painting since 2015. 
Tell us your story, why did you become an artist?
In addition to my work as a designer, art has always fascinated me and at one point I noticed the urge to do more with my hands, away from computers and the digital world. I wanted to create something free of any fixed rules or norms. I remembered painting has always been an important part of my childhood and school years so coming back to painting felt most natural to me. Everything is allowed, nothing has to – it`s the perfect counterpart to my work as a designer and I haven't stopped since I picked up the brush again.
I tried many different styles but ultimately always came back to painting abstract portraits and figures on canvas just like I did as a kid. My work with color also developed with each painting over the time. Old artworks that were already finished were revised again and again. It became more colourful, more intense and dynamic.
When you create a new work, how do you go about it? What comes first?
It really depends. For my more abstract body of work I usually start to paint very intuitively and without thinking too much about the outcome. The moment really takes the direction. For my portraits however, I often draw first sketches on paper. I also started using a tablet as this is just a quicker way to test different shapes and colour combinations. But I don’t stress too much on this part as usually everything changes during the painting process anyway. I have learnt to accept the process and trust in my intuition.
I paint primarily with acrylics, oil sticks and pastels on canvas and consciously work with many layers of large and rough brushstrokes that are combined with little details which I add at the end of the process. I regularly come back to a painting every few days or weeks and continue working on it. 
What can you tell us about your studio, what makes it special to you and how does it influence the way you work?
My studio is located in a separate room within my home with just the perfect light. One side is covered with large windows where I can watch the sun breaking through the misty mornings to the magical light in the evening. And it`s only a 5-minute walk to the lake where I can rest and re-charge my batteries. 
Is there a work of art in your life that has especially impressed you?
There are many works of art that are very impressive. I love the work of Picasso, Matisse, Warhol or Gauguin. Or great female painters such as Georgia O'Keeffe and Frida Kahlo are incredibly impressive. But also art of other mediums like photography by Helmut Newton and Man Ray or films by Wes Anderson or Pedro Almodóvar are very inspiring. The list is endless. There is no single work.
Reach to the stars: where will you be in 5 years?
Life is mostly very unpredictable. If the stars are kind to me I will still be painting with more consistency in the creative process and freedom to experiment. I want to continue to develop my artistic style and I`m curious to see how my future paintings differentiate from the current ones. Making a living just out of art is probably the dream of every artist. 
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