Carola McAndrew
Born and raised in Germany, I moved to the United States after I married. I wasn’t exposed to art in school, but I have always been drawn to the visual arts.
I am an abstract artist reveling in color, texture, and composition. Color, adding and subtracting, and the use of mediums and materials are central to my work. Combining those elements is how I produce my paintings.
Abstract composition fascinates me. Most of my abstract art comes from how I feel and see things. It is an expression of my emotions and takes inspiration from colors and forms I encounter in the world around me. I am particularly inspired by the work of the Expressionists who emerged between 1929 and 1959.
After living in Belgium, Germany and England for a few years and then returning to the United States, I decided to take painting classes. My first class was in oil painting. Rather than painting realistically, I focused on recreating the colors in my scenes. I put them down the way I saw and felt them. I then worked intensively in watercolor before finding my way to acrylics and abstract composition.
I have attended classes at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey in Summit, New Jersey, Art Works Downtown in San Rafael, California, and completed four semesters at College of Marin. I have shown my work in both solo and group exhibitions.
I have volunteered as a docent at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art and helped autistic adults with art projects at Sweetwater Spectrum.
Sonoma has become an important part of my artistic journey. Through classes and workshops at the Sonoma Community Center, I have found opportunities to learn, experiment, and grow as an artist. I have been inspired by the vibrant and supportive creative community that thrives here in Sonoma. The natural beauty of Sonoma’s vineyards, hills, and changing light, along with its rich social and cultural life, music, and sense of connection, continue to influence both my artwork and my daily life.
Contact:
Carola McAndres
mcandrewcarola@gmail.com
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