Conecuh County
Mixed Media
At age twelve, Andrea’s art career began when her grandmother,
Audrey Helton, gave her oil paints and a sheet of typed instructions. Since
that time she has studied forestry, welding, writing, and personal training.
Andrea has also worked in construction, as a boundary line painter, a kudzu
sprayer, and an eradicator of beaver dams - which are all interesting jobs,
especially for a female.
Almost eleven years ago, Andrea’s art interests really began
producing. She is a self-taught, dyslexic artist who uses art for her own self-balance.
Following in the footsteps of her artist grandmother, Andrea has done t-shirt
designs, abstracts, behind the glass three-dimensional works, and other media.
She says that her work varies greatly, and “the material helps lead me.” Andrea
lists her materials as oil-based paints, acrylic, plaster, spackle, metal
objects, and just about anything at the hardware store.
After a twelve-year hiatus, she recently completed her associate
of science degree at Alabama Southern in Monroeville and plans to transfer to
the University of West Florida. As part of a recent honors project, Andrea created
a four by eight canvas of her beaver dam research. Furthermore, she is in
contact with a professor at UWF about children’s book illustrations and
illustrating pamphlets for students entering the science field. Andrea is
beginning to fulfill her goal of incorporating her art with education and life.
Andrea’s works can be
viewed at Patina in Fairhope, Alabama; The Blind Mule in Mobile, Alabama; and
Top of the Hill in Perdue Hill, Alabama.