Anya Blakeley
Artist
Multidisciplinary artist who has been sharing creative work with the public since 2012. I am a self-taught visionary artist. Art has allowed me to look beyond an event and experience it from different perspectives while attempting to make sense of them. My work has given me full expression to explore the shadow parts of my personality and trauma while also embracing the gifts that lie beyond “normal” consciousness. Most recently my engaged creative practice involves bringing to light the complex social issues surrounding our criminal legal system, incarceration and how we perceive humanity at large.
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July 21, 2026
Pen, Paint, and a Lifelong Friendship: Anya Blakeley and Mike Tran
When Baltimore artist Anya Blakeley walked away from a high-stress job in the criminal legal system, she knew it was time for a change. Anya began searching for meaning and healing in a world that suddenly felt broken. Her journey led her to the Justice Arts Coalition, a group that didn’t just talk about change, but created it by matching incarcerated artists with creative allies on the outside. Enter Cuong Tran, better known as Mike, a self-taught artist behind bars in California, whose raw ...
Guest: Anya Blakeley