Meet Guest Artist Educator Andreanna Hood! Andreanna, who goes by Anna, first visited the Dixon during one of her favorite exhibitions, John Leslie Breck: American Impressionist. “I went to see this exhibition with a class in 2021. To me, it changed what I perceived an artist to be and inspired my practice and attitude towards art,” she said.

Anna worked as a barista at Park and Cherry in 2022, and in May of 2023, she joined the Dixon Visitor Engagement team. In August 2024, she’ll be adding Guest Artist Educator to her roles at the Dixon.

“The education department does a lot for the community and that’s something that I hope to do in the future as well,” she said. In this role her goal is for kids to go home happy and learn more about art. “I think art is something that everyone can appreciate, but not something that everyone learns to appreciate.”

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Anna was introduced to art by her mother. They would often color in coloring books, and Anna took an interest in how materials and textures combined. While she now primarily works with acrylic paint and oil, she calls herself a “mixed media artist who loves trying anything.”

Anna is currently studying Art Education at the University of Memphis. She is expecting to graduate in May of 2026. She currently shares and sells her artwork at various local craft fairs and artist markets.

Her favorite piece in the Dixon collection is a crowd favorite, The Joyous Festival. The large painting is on display in the Catmur Foyer, where Anna sits at the front desk. “I love looking at the piece changing through the day as the light grows and dims as well as the awe on people's faces when they see it.”

See more of her art on her instagram here.