American Painter, BFA, Atlanta College of Art, Atlanta, GA (1993)
After receiving her degree in painting from the Atlanta College of Art, Andrea moved back home to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to work as a newspaper artist at The Advocate. Her ability as a graphic designer was quickly noticed by the Louisiana Press Association and she was awarded their top honor. However, Andrea soon found herself at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Art pursuing her true passion.
During this period at the academy, Andrea painted and sculpted from life, specifically finding inspiration in the realist and expressionist European art of the twentieth century. In her first year at NOAFA, the academy founder and director, Auseklis Ozols honored Andrea with a scholarship for the duration of her tutelage and she was singularly awarded the Gamblin Art Award in her final year. Andrea soon began exhibiting solo and with groups in the many galleries and restaurants in and around New Orleans and as her contacts in the arts community grew, she began to generate more patrons and clients: Andrea became involved with the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center, and was their choice two years in a row to design and create original artwork for their "Sweet Arts Ball" event. Andrea also provided the New Orleans Film Festival with an original set of "independent-film themed" artwork for their 2002 gala. Andrea worked as assistant to James Michalopoulos, the artist commissioned to create the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival posters for the 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006 events.
Additionally, Andrea has been instructing diverse groups of children ranging in age from 3-13 since 2000. Andrea taught hands on children’s art in the Kids’ Tent at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the New Orleans Kid Smart, Art Jam Festivals. At the Jazz Festival, Andrea’s projects embidied the rich cultural history of the Mardi Gras Indian tradition by teaching kids to explore their own personal color palates, creating their own costumes. At the Art Jam, a nonprofit organization for underresourced children, she encouraged kids to learn about color, shape, and texture through collage on hand made hats and crowns. Last summer Andrea taught Art Camp at The Baton Rouge School of Performing Arts. Leading three classes of different age groups she created projects and group critiques appropriate for the various age/skill levels.
Andrea currently resides and paints in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and is presently teaching art to children at The Country Day School of Baton Rouge.
"You are creative when, in an instant you are capable of remembering everything you've ever learned and able to hold this posture of grace indefinitely...an artist is an athlete of the mind." -A. Tomasovsky
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