Saber Bien

llorar
tears for friends passed
orgullo
too much pride to ask for help
too much talent to guess at their pain
smoke and mirrors
anestesia
drugs and distractions
smiles and laughter
intensity of the highs and lows
elation and destruction

doler
i know it well

but it's not yet too late
prisa
to chip away my facade
of guarded strength
vivir
to live through the lows
to love the highs

amar
to know it all well

Hope and Storytelling

I had an enlightening meeting yesterday with a songwriter. I'm trying to expand my network, come out from under the rock I've been hiding, learn a little from the experience of those that have traveled (or are travelling) my same road. I am so grateful to those who share their time with me, their knowledge, their opinions and their insight.

I get complacent. Afraid. Frustrated. Bored. Hmmm. So every couple of years I change it up, jump headfirst into something I know little about, but am determined to master. A few years back it was jazz. Then it was guitar. Now it's storytelling.

Master any of them I have yet to do. But I am excited for the bumps in the road and the journey, regardless of destination.

I Smile

Summer spent
As Fall now
Beckons the birds
And I smile in my boots

Parrish clouds
Litter the sky tonight
Jasmine breeze exchanged
For scent of the sea
And I smile for your kiss

Stop and Think About It

I'm not good with definitions. About "what I do." In so many ways, "what I do" defines who I am as a person and how I live my life...yet it is vastly more diverse than a simple job title or description. When questioned about it (or the lack of definition on my business cards) I balk. Uncomfortable. My talents are fluid. My skills are sharp. And I relish all things new and adapting. Why would I want to pigeon-hole myself with one definition?

Now it's true that too much diversity can lead to confusion. And a lot of maintenence. (I do have 3 separate blogs, 4 websites, etc. etc.) I do this because I do believe in consistent and concise messaging: branding.

Feeling the stress today of having so many "jobs." When it is distilled down, the only description that works for me is Artist. This blog will serve as an outlet for all things Nena Anderson. Music, poetry, critical writings and opinions, photography, inventions/product design, illustration and graphic design, parenting, cooking, producing and so on.


I shot this record cover for good friends and former bandmates, Chris James and Patrick Rynn. I am so proud that they are finally receiving recognition for the amazing musicians and hard-working cats that they are. This year they were nominated for a WC Handy Award for Best New Blues Artist.






This is a merch case I designed and built for the band  Wirepony. I worked with the artist in developing a case that was easy to store and transport and that could hold a selection of product. I'm obsessed with combining function with aesthetic. The case supports the brand image of the artist with it's "traveling merchantile look" and kept it all tidy with a cash box and a place to collect mailing list info.






I've drawn cartoons since I was 7 years old, winning contests and drawing logos since I was 12. Yet it never really seemed to me to be a viable "job." Ha! I'm hoping to spend more time in the future illustrating and painting again. This is a piece from a few years back that I created for Nathan James and Ben Hernandez  for a cd they created with  Carl Sonny Leyland. The actual illustration is 20"x 9"

After many years as working as a designer and marketer in fashion, action sports, and sporting goods, I'm thrilled that my art is now melding with my passion for music!

More about (un)defining myself at my work(?) blog *smiling* check it out at  Dungbeetle.