Anna Kirby resurrects forgotten faces. Working from the remnants of other people's libraries, she assembles composite portraits from mismatched photographs, illustrations, and paintings — then transforms them with oil paint, adding makeup and face paint in colors that have no interest in being subtle. The result is a figure that never existed, yet feels achingly real.Her work is rooted in the emotional realities of female experience: PTSD, abuse, child loss, infertility, and the contested terrain of identity. The portraits are expressive and unflinching, capturing a range of emotion from quiet discomfort to defiant resilience.Kirby is based in North Carolina. Her work has been exhibited nationally and published in over twenty literary magazines and journals. She completed a residency with Kolaj Magazine in New Orleans in 2025.
