Today we’d like to introduce you to Ana Stapleton.
Hi Ana, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born in the tiny town of Nueva Rosita, Coahuila, and grew up on the Texas-Mexico border, in a home with windows overlooking the Rio Grande. We spoke English and Spanish interchangeably and crossed the bridge into Mexico daily to visit relatives, buy fresh fruit, and take dance classes. That proximity fostered my deep connection to both countries’ cultures, languages, and people. From a young age, I sensed that there was a bridge between them in my own heart and that I wasn’t one without the other.
I left Texas at 17 to attend Duke University, where I became obsessed with women’s studies, creative writing, and basketball (watching, not playing). Though I was a super creative kid and had dreamed of becoming an artist or writer, I applied to law school at my dad’s urging. He was the first person in his family to attend college; higher education was considered a great privilege. I started UT Law School thinking I might pave the way for other women in our family and do good work that would serve others, but I quickly learned that law wasn’t a great fit for me. I’m stubborn, so I hunkered down, finished, and passed the Bar exam, then swiftly took a job with a female ceramicist in East Austin, much to my parent’s chagrin. Luckily, the detour through law school led to my first job on a movie set in Austin, securing legal clearances for the Art Department on the feature film “Varsity Blues.”
Working on feature films was the dream job I didn’t know existed. It was enjoyable, creative, and challenging. Every day presented huge opportunities to grow and learn. Equal parts treasure hunter, cheerleader, and command center, I coordinated the Art Departments of movies, sourced obscure décor, made product placement deals, and kept the wheels on the proverbial bus. Through that, I became a tireless, creative, collaborative problem solver.
After a decade of film work, I moved to Playa Del Carmen with my husband to build hotels. Though I hated leaving movies behind, I was drawn to adventure and reconnection with my birthplace. My fluency in the language and culture of Mexico landed me a job as a bilingual design liaison for the Kor Hotel Group and designer Kelly Wearstler, where I ran small design projects, sourced décor, and assisted in large installations. Once back in Austin, I continued to work in hospitality, sourcing and installing original art, accessories, plants, and furniture for hotels. I tailored my selections to each space’s unique story for authenticity and character. I also organized art shows for local artists and a salon series featuring local authors, designers, curators, and poets. From there, I shifted to storytelling and design work for residential and business clients and continued that for several years until I took a hiatus last fall to move my daughter to college.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is the decision to leave my marriage when my kids were 1 and 3. It’s hard to single-parent kids of that age regardless, but it was compounded by the fact that we’d sold everything and moved to Mexico for my husband’s job. Leaving the marriage meant uprooting everything we’d just settled into, including a house near the beach and the once-in-a-lifetime job I’d started with an amazing designer and hotel group. I was 38 at the time, and it was incredibly stressful and scary to make an international move on my own with two little kids, and to start over without a job or home to move into, but it was the right thing for me to do for myself and for them. With the help of family, friends, blind faith, and a ton of grit, I got through it and can look back now, knowing I have immense courage and strength when required. I never want to repeat it, but I know I could.
The other obstacles I’ve faced have been less dramatic and sweeping but have given me opportunities to grow myself. In my film career, I struggled with the lack of boundaries in that business. The hours are super long, and there’s an unwritten rule that you have to show up early, leave late, make zero mistakes, and not rock the boat because there are people lined up behind you, ready to grab your spot if you make a wrong move. Because I was single and loved the job, and had plenty of free time and no obligations at home, I didn’t question the sacrifices it required. But ultimately, it’s not a family-friendly business for females, especially if you want to parent your kids meaningfully. I got lucky with flexible and kind bosses once I had kids, but it took a lot of courage to ask for what I needed and trust that I would not get booted out!
And it has been an ongoing challenge to learn how to value my time and charge accordingly. I’m entranced by creative work, so spending extra hours on a job without noticing is easy. I like to overdeliver, but have felt shy about charging for that extra mile I went. And because my work is often short-term and by contract, each new job potentially requires a new fee structure tailored to the specific directives and goals. I’m finally at the point where I fully know how much I bring and am not afraid to invoice.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Once my daughter was settled at college, the white space in my schedule expanded, and I was ready for a shift. On a lark, I joined an old friend for a Wild Writing workshop in San Miguel de Allende and spent a week immersed in the joy of writing, art, and culture. The writing and wonder workshops we did there unlocked parts of me I’d kept hidden away and felt exhilarating. Through the wild writing practice, I discovered the poet Maya Stein and began to follow her work. When Maya posted an open call for writing a few months later, I took a leap of faith and submitted two pieces I’d written. I’d never submitted anything and didn’t expect good news, so I was shocked to receive an email from the publisher saying one of my essays had been chosen for the upcoming issue of the literary magazine Kerning.
A similar spark of magic is happening in my art studio. Soon after the San Miguel trip, I ran across a newspaper article featuring Jodie King, a successful self-taught artist here in Austin who hadn’t picked up a paintbrush until her mid 30s. She and I are about the same age, and I immediately thought, “If she can do it, so can I!” Her story inspired me so much. I looked her up online and discovered she was offering a local painting retreat. Feeling called by luck, I eagerly signed up and spent the retreat weekend in a joyful trance of color mixing, journaling, painting, eating tacos, and even dancing when I felt stuck at the canvas. Jodie’s uplifting energy and teaching shifted my perspective around what’s possible for me as a female, multi-dimensional creator. Since then, I’ve been approaching the canvas in new ways and exploring what the intersection of writing and painting might be for me. It hasn’t all revealed itself to me quite yet, but I’m certain it will, and I’m here for it.
I love the creative potential that keeps unfolding. I work with wonderful friends and clients who call me for brainstorming and collaboration. I wear paint clothes some days and dress up other days. I especially love that I get to lean into my passion for treasure hunting, which started when I had to find weird movie props using only the yellow pages and a landline. I’m always looking for pieces with meaning and style, whether for a client or inspiration in my studio. Austin is a perfect place for a treasure hunt and a creative life. I’m so grateful to live in a city brimming with unique energy, spirit, and soul.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Given the cross-pollination of my work, there’s not just “one” industry I observe every day. But I see general trends from where I sit at the nexus of design, art, and styling. Social media has become a powerful platform and amplifier for visual artists in a way that disrupts the traditional gallery system. Artists have so many more avenues for how to show and sell their work now that they can reach a larger audience. Instagram is a perfect example. An artist can open a business account to post jobs, progress photos, and personal narratives and shore up that following with a website or email list. Once an audience becomes aware of the artist and her work and that it’s for sale, there’s a revenue and growth stream to work with. There is an increasing wave of pop-up shopping experiences where artists can showcase their work without committing to a brick and mortar. I’ve also noticed that design-wise, people are craving things that are more unique, less perfect, less matching, and in some cases, vintage and repurposed. Especially with younger clients and friends, I see people leaning into the handmade, bespoke, artisan-crafted decor and aesthetic. There is also more color mixing and irreverence and less adherence to formality. And thank goodness. It seems that there’s more awareness and celebration of the incredible art, design, and aesthetic represented by brown and black artists and makers. All of this is good news for me because I’m drawn to color, pattern, handmade decor, and objects with imperfections and patina. I work with clients who are interested in the mix of old and new, embrace art and color and are willing to take risks. I hope we keep moving toward female artists coming into their own and all artists having a shot at selling work previously reserved for those lucky enough (or male) to have gallery representation.
Contact Info:
- Website: anastapleton.com
Image Credits
Cristina Fisher, Andrea Scher, Jake Holt, Matt Lankes
