Hands in the dirt, paint on her shirt, constantly distracted by birds.
Anna Benifield is a mother, naturalist, and mixed-media artist with a foundation in industrial design. Raised in the Atlanta area, she earned her degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and had a successful career in corporate design management before shifting her focus to a more personal and immersive creative pursuit. Today, she dedicates her practice to exploring the rich intersection of nature and art.
Deeply inspired by the flora and fauna of the Southeastern United States, Anna reinterprets the work of early 19th-century naturalists—most notably John James Audubon—through a contemporary, feminine lens. Her intricate cut-paper collages transform scientific illustration into layered, tactile compositions, a process she describes as a two-dimensional form of taxidermy. Each piece begins with meticulous research and observation, followed by hand-painting, cutting, and assembling layers of paper onto wood panels to bring her subjects to life.
Anna’s work has been showcased at the 2023 Lake Forest Showhouse in Chicago and exhibited in galleries and fine art shows across the Southeast. She is also a certified Georgia Master Naturalist and is currently working on earning her certification as a Master Birder, further deepening her connection to the wildlife that informs her art.
She lives in Sandy Springs, GA, with her husband, their three children, and a house full of beloved pets. When she’s not creating art, you can find her traveling with her family, digging in the garden, or out looking for birds.
Artist Statement
As both a naturalist and an artist, my work lives at the intersection of scientific curiosity and creative expression. I’m drawn to the details and rhythms of the natural world, especially the birdlife and ecosystems of my native southeast. My art is a way of noticing—of slowing down and paying close attention to the beauty and complexity that often go overlooked.
I find deep inspiration in the work of early 19th-century naturalists, most notably John James Audubon. Like Audubon, I approach each subject with a sense of reverence and curiosity. But while his illustrations aimed to catalog and define, my work seeks to reinterpret and reimagine. Through a feminine, contemporary perspective, I approach each bird not simply as a specimen, but as a subject for expressive, layered interpretation—inviting viewers to see each bird as both familiar and newly seen.
I begin by researching the species, sketching, and creating hand-painted papers that reflect the subtle variations of feathers, foliage, or shadows. Then I cut each piece individually and build the composition layer by layer onto wood panels. In a world that often rushes past beauty, my work invites both me and the viewer to slow down. The layered depth of each collage encourages taking a second look.
My process is meticulous and deeply intentional. Every step—from the initial field study to the final layer—is done by hand, with care and precision. My former career and education forged a strong foundation in visual structure, systems thinking, and attention to fine detail. The technical precision I developed there continues to shape the way I build each collage—balancing composition, form, and craftsmanship with intuition and expression. It allows me to approach my creative work with both a designer’s eye and an artist’s hand.
I’m especially interested in the birds and plants that shape the Southeastern landscape—the marsh-dwellers, songbirds, migrators, and native species that reflect the ecology of the Lowcountry and beyond. My goal is not just to portray these creatures, but to celebrate them—to invite viewers into a moment of stillness and connection.