A self-taught artist, Andy’s formal education was in Technical Drafting. Currently living near Parker, Colorado, he spent the last twenty-six years in the engineering industry, designing and drawing plans for bridges in CAD. During most of his design career, Andy’s attention to his art was limited, but he returned to drawing with a renewed interest at the beginning of 2019. Andy continues to work in structural design full time and draws part time. Creativity and ability to visualize 3-dimensionally play an important role in both of these aspects of his life, as does attention to detail.
Statement
Raised on a small family ranch, I have deep roots on the Eastern Plains of Colorado. My family has been ranching or farming in the region since the beginning of the Twentieth Century. My subjects are friends, family, and neighbors who continue to live and work in rural Southeastern Colorado. Theirs is a misunderstood way of life that struggles to survive under seemingly constant attack from the outside world. While inaccurate portrayals of current and past rural life in the West abound, I endeavor to portray real cattlemen and women in day-to-day situations. My images are not staged and the subjects are not actors in costume. My drawings are actual snapshots of working cowboys and livestock. These are tenacious, hardworking individuals and families continuing to preserve and pass down a livelihood and lifestyle.
I strive for realism, not only in my subjects, but also through meticulous rendering. Working in dry media allows me to have the control necessary to achieve fine detail. While my primary medium is graphite, I also integrate compressed charcoal, vine charcoal, and oil-based charcoal pencils as a means of extending my value range. Although my subjects are modern, the monochromatic nature of my medium gives each drawing a nostalgic, yet timeless, feeling.