Meet Anjl Rodee — artist, comedian, and all-around creative force!
Born and raised right here in Oconomowoc, Anjl Rodee has spent her life proving that creativity isn’t just a talent — it’s a mindset. After 15 years in Seattle, where she built BrushCapades, a company that teaches corporate teams around the world how to unlock their creative side, Anjl returned home to Lake Country with her cat, Zuzu, and a renewed mission: to inspire others to explore their inner artist. From painting workshops and comedy shows to her current exhibit “Postcards from Oconomowoc: Roots, Whimsy & Wanderlust” at the Oconomowoc Arts Center, Anjl brings humor, heart, and imagination to everything she touches — reminding us that creativity is meant to be shared, celebrated, and lived out loud.
About Anjl Rodee
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My daughter, Ally, and her family call Seattle home, while my son, Sam, and his family have settled in Madison.
Q: Please tell us about your life and what you do (whether working in our community, a business owner, volunteer, etc.). How did you choose that path?
I like to think of myself as an “Arting Influencer.” Through my company, BrushCapades, I work virtually with corporate teams around the world, teaching the importance of embracing creativity in everyday life. When I’m not leading workshops, you can find me performing improv comedy with ComedySportz or sharing laughs through my stand-up parodies about menopause. My artwork is currently on display at the Oconomowoc Arts Center through November 17th in an exhibit titled Postcards from Oconomowoc: Roots, Whimsy, and Wanderlust. To top it off, I’ll be celebrating Oconomowoc’s 150th anniversary by doing a live painting during the October 29th Ocon Community Concert at the OHS Fieldhouse — a full-circle moment that combines my love for art, humor, and hometown pride.
Q: What do you love most about what you do?
There is so much I love about what I do! I love connecting with people, encouraging them, and watching that moment when they light up and realize — “wow, I can do more than I ever thought I could!’”
Q: What was the most difficult challenge in getting to where you are now or in your life?
Coming home has been both my greatest blessing and my biggest challenge. While I’m deeply grateful to be back near my hometown — the place where I grew up and raised my kids — reestablishing myself in Wisconsin’s art scene has been a whole new adventure compared to Seattle. After years of paint-and-sip events, corporate partnerships, and creative collaborations out west, I’m now rediscovering those connections here in Lake Country. Partnering with the Oconomowoc Historical Society and the Lake Mills and Oconomowoc Public Libraries has been a wonderful start, but I’m excited to keep growing, collaborating, and exploring all that Wisconsin’s arts community has to offer.
Q: What is the most rewarding part?
The most rewarding part is witnessing someone shift from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can’ — because I know that moment ripples out into the rest of their life.
Q: What are some of your future goals? Do you have anything exciting coming up that you would like to share?
I really love to travel, and love to do art when I travel. I’d love to take people around the world with me making art as we go!
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in doing something similar to what you have done/are doing?
“Ikigai” is a Japanese term for the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can make a living doing. Find your thing, then go for it — you’ll find your people. The biggest obstacle you’ll face is that inner voice telling you not to try.
Anjl Rodee & Our Community
Q: What is your favorite thing about our community, favorite thing to do, or something unique about our community that you love? (Feel free to share as much as you’d like!)
Once moving back, I’ve become fully immersed in the local theatre community — stepping in as a set designer, painter, and builder for the Oconomowoc Community Theatre, Lake Country Players, and SLI Theatre program. Do I always know what I’m doing? Not exactly! But thanks to the internet and the many generous, talented people around me who are so willing to share their time and skills, I’m learning as I go. Community theatre was incredibly formative for me growing up, and now I love being a small part of something that might help shape the next generation of dreamers, performers, and creators. 🎭
Q: Who is an interesting person you’ve met here in our community, and how have they inspired you?
If I can name two people who truly inspire me, it would be Jackie Nuckels and Tracy Garon. By day, Jackie is a lawyer and Tracy is a middle school choir director — but their off-hour endeavors are what really amaze me. Both have boundless energy and a deep passion for creativity, community, and using their talents for the greater good of Lake Country. Their dedication, enthusiasm, and generosity remind me daily of the power of art and connection in our community.
Q: Do you have a favorite coffee shop, cocktail shop, or restaurant?
I love both Roots and Whelan’s coffee shops in Oconomowoc — equally and wholeheartedly. Each has its own charm, and I happily divide my time (and my caffeine intake!) between the two.
Q: What 3 words would you use to describe our community?
At the end of the day, everything I do comes back to community, connection, and home. Those three words sum up exactly why I create, collaborate, and continue to plant deeper roots here in Lake Country.
For Fun
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
For three months, I was the lead singer of what’s left of Steppenwolf. Great story, I’d love to tell you about it.
Q: What is your favorite book, TV show, movie, poem, or song? Why?
A Leonard Cohen poem: “Ring the bell that still can ring, forget your perfect offering. For there’s a crack in everything- that’s how the light gets in.” I love this because it reminds me that we don’t need to wait until things are perfect to create, to connect, or to share ourselves. In fact, perfection would rob us of the best parts—our cracks, our quirks, our humanity.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
Anyone who’s ever been featured in the Steve Hartman On the Road series. They all make me cry, in the best of ways.
Q: If you were a drink (can be a coffee drink, alcoholic, non-alcoholic, etc.), what would you be?
OOH! A spiked Shirly Temple with a twist. Quirky, with a splash of kitsch and a lil zing of prosecco or tequila- you never know what you’re gonna get.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be with? Why?
My dad and his dad, both have passed… Since moving back, I’ve been really interested in family history, and I’d love to ask them both about their youth.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
I kind of obsess about RV living! Just driving around the US, painting or sketching everywhere I go.
Q: What makes you the happiest?
Trying hard things, and new things, makes me really happy. Even if things go south, there is a good story there, and I love a good story.
Q: Any general life advice you would like to share?
Life isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being present. Make things, even if they’re messy. Laugh often, because humor heals. Love people and lean into connection, because that’s the real masterpiece. Stay curious, stay in awe, and let the cracks show – because that’s how the light, the joy, and the magic get in.
Where to Find Anjl Rodee
Email: arodee@mac.com
