Aurora Andrews

How did you get into making art?

I learned how to draw when I was a kid, from my parents. For a long time it’s been a way for me to process and communicate ideas. As an adult I went to grad school, got more focused on painting, and began to think about an audience.

What are you currently working on?

Paintings of my two year old. Lately, night scenes – sleeping, dark shapes – and some views out the window.

What inspired you to get started on this body of work?

The overwhelming feelings of fear and love, of being a parent. I encountered stories about motherhood in the past, but I didn’t pay attention. Now that I’m in it myself, I’m more receptive. I wonder about the other perspectives that I’m still missing. Is it possible to understand what you haven’t personally lived?

Do you work on distinct projects or do you take a broader approach to your practice?

My ongoing project is describing internal experience through material exploration – what can I do with paint? Imagery develops based on what’s happening around me and how I’m spending my time. Trying to figure out an image, in painting after painting, becomes a series.

What’s a typical day like in your studio?

I paint for an hour or two at a time, in between my other responsibilities. I make drawings from life, outside the studio, which I use for reference when I paint.

Who are your favorite artists?

I’ve been looking at artists who depict their own bodies or children. Francis Alÿs Children’s Games, prints by Kathe Kollwitz and David Hammons, and Lucia Hurtado’s point of view paintings have made an impression recently.

Where do you go to discover new artists?

Museums and galleries, bookstores, and suggestions from friends.