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Andrea BorsukAndrea BorsukAndrea Borsuk
Andrea Borsuk
Santa Cruz, CA
"My paintings are often dream-like and immersive. Landscape, figures, and objects of good fortune intermingle and reveal the essence of submission to fate and the grand mystery of time."
Andrea Borsuk is a painter whose work explores notions of journey, time and destiny. She holds an MFA from Columbia University and a BA from UC Santa Cruz. She is an Art Instructor at Cabrillo College in Aptos, Ca. She is the 2010/2011 recipient of the Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship. Her solo and group exhibition venues include Numu, New Museum of Los Gatos, The Riverside Museum of Art, The Nevada Museum of Art, Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, and the Monterey Peninsula Community College Art Gallery. Her work is in numerous private collections.Wescover creator since 2020
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Residential Project
Santa Cruz, CA
Residential Project
Santa Cruz, CA
Residential Project
Los Angeles, CA
Residential Project
Los Angeles, CA
More About This Creator
Q&A
How do your pieces come to life? Tell us one interesting thing about your creative process?
"I usually start my paintings from the back to the front, meaning that I create a "ground" or environment first (considering the landscape, the time of day, the environment and what that temperature might be). I use big brushes first, and I limit my time with the piece, so that the ground feels fresh and alive. Then I work on top of this, adding layers of detail and ingredients to attract the eye. I can use a HUGE brush to start the work and end with a "triple 000" brush to paint eyelashes or tiny pearls. Also, I never have an idea of what my painting is going to be when I begin working on it. I work as if I am making a collage, adding parts bit by bit."
Andrea BorsukQ&A
What do you want people to do or feel when they encounter your creations?
"I want the viewer to be attracted to the ingredients of each piece-- the colors, the shapes, and way all of the parts within the painting interact and coalesce. I want to create a story (sometimes a mystery) with paint-- something that is not necessarily easy to read. I invite the viewer to figure out what the message is and to find connections among the elements. There are usually secrets within each piece-- small details that allow intimate viewing and interpretation. I hope that my works are open-ended, thoughtful and well-designed. I want the viewer to discover content while also appreciating painting as a process in itself. My hope is that both of these things can unite to create a gratifying visual experience."
Andrea BorsukQ&A
What funny moments, unexpected surprises, or obstacles have you encountered?
"Some of my earlier work was exploring historical images of female sexuality. One painting in particular was quite risqué and I was hand delivering it to a show in NYC. At the airport, my bag was checked and the security agent opened it up and saw the paintings. He was quite surprised and super uncomfortable.
Sadly, on the way back from the show, this very painting got lost in the mail. I pursued a legal battle with the shippers, twice returning to court and each time having to describe the painting and what it looked like. I ended up winning the case and retrieving my insurance money. The painting, however, was never found, but somehow I imagine it on someone's wall-- probably a person who worked in the FED EX warehouse. I'd like to think that this person is pretty happy now."
Sadly, on the way back from the show, this very painting got lost in the mail. I pursued a legal battle with the shippers, twice returning to court and each time having to describe the painting and what it looked like. I ended up winning the case and retrieving my insurance money. The painting, however, was never found, but somehow I imagine it on someone's wall-- probably a person who worked in the FED EX warehouse. I'd like to think that this person is pretty happy now."
Andrea Borsuk