Hi! My name is Annabel Pottebaum and I am a Chicago/West Suburbs based film and theater designer focused in the Art Department. I specialize in scenic painting, set design  and construction, set decoration, art direction, and theater education. I see myself as a lifelong learner and believe that embracing new skills and knowledge is critical to growing as a creative. The motivation of collaborating with a passionate team and creating things that have never been made before inspires me everyday.

 

My work centers on character driven stories and I strive to inject stories with grit and nuance. Film and theater allow us to see ourselves in each character and enables us to use this knowledge to shape our lives, how we treat each other, and how we treat ourselves. I believe my work draws the lines of connection between the relationships we have with ourselves and others, and makes it apparent that each of us is learning how to live, how to “become” our whole lives.

 

Although I have been interested in design since I was a little kid, it wasn't until the end of my Freshman year at Columbia College Chicago (class of ‘23) that I truly fell in love with the craft. From playing pretend in my backyard growing up, to my experiences in high school theater, on stage and in the wings, storytelling is my lifelong passion.