Anu Redway

Anu Redway

Contemporary Surrealist & Mixed Media Artist

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Artist Statement:

I was born in Nigeria, moved to Queens, New York when I was 4, and ultimately landed in Cleveland, Ohio.

My mission statement: "Using artistic parables to showcase and communicate love, value, and the human experience."

My life motto is "Seek to understand before seeking to be understood." I mention these things first because they drive me, and they are very relevant to my work because my life is my work. I believe life is too short to live solely for money, and I say that as a passionate artist, not one who's struggling.

I've been a working artist and creative director for about 9 years.

Growing up with a father who was a career artist and a mother who was a cook, event planner, child care provider, and interior decorator, creativity flows through my veins. Interestingly, they didn't directly teach me much regarding art; I just picked up on a lot of things. Every time I asked my dad to teach me as a child, he would always tell me to watch him and find my own creative path.

My primary medium is acrylic mixed media painting with some mixed media polymer clay jewelry making. Sometimes I need a switch so I can revisit painting with a fresh mind without stopping the creative process. 

I attended Kent State as a fashion design major and Cleveland State as a Studio Art Major with a concentration in Painting, Sculpture, and Photography. I started off by doing shows of my paintings at various universities in the northeast Ohio region and later expanded to fine art/fashion photography, ceramics, metal sculpture, and epoxy art.

“Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one”

Not too many people know the full quote. I am passionate about self-expression, and I never want to put myself in a box. I've dabbled in a bit of almost everything, and I don't regret a single thing I've done so far because it lends so much to what I do now.

MercyWerks is more than just a brand name; it's my story. Mercy is my name, Anu, translated in English. This implies my work as well as the fact that God's mercy has done so much for me. In the Bible, whenever Jesus wanted to teach a principle or make a point, he usually told a story or asked people questions. This is the essence of my mission statement. (My last name just means I'm married to a white guy lol) 

Studies have shown repeatedly that simply communicating information is not very effective. Stories trigger the release of a neurochemical called oxytocin, known as the love drug. How many times have you continued to watch a bad movie or TV series just to know how it ends? That's just one example of the power of storytelling.

The Empathy Museum's Clare Patey says, "Stories have the power to allow us to see the world in a different way than we do when we encounter it on our own. Stories are an entry point to understanding a different experience of the world."

I have a hard time creating if I don't feel that my work has meaning and purpose. In today's world, I make it my life's mission to provide avenues where we can hear more perspectives that will hopefully bring more connection. The more we take time to hear and try to understand others' viewpoints, as well as build our own self-awareness, the more unity and empathy the world will have. It can be easy to teach and see outside of ourselves, and it can be challenging to learn if we don't open ourselves up.

I create original works for sale as well as commissioned pieces. I meet people where they are and walk alongside them to where they want to go.

As I evolve, my art is evolving every single day, as any good artist's work would. I'm here for the journey because, after all, the journey itself is the destination…

-Anu Redway

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