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Andrea is a Canadian multi-disciplinary artist who loves to create intuitive conceptual artworks inspired by the spiritual realm, astrology, and female empowerment themes to create a space for healing and self-awareness of one's unique soul vibration.
Please tell us the story of your journey with art. Where did it begin, and what was your experience of becoming a creator?
My art journey began when I was very young. I was always playing with paints, crayons, pencils, etc. I was always top in my art class in school and figured I would do something with this talent in university and dove into the architecture program. Unfortunately, it wasn't truly my passion and I decided to drop out and take a break from art entirely for ten years.
When the pandemic began, I needed a creative outlet, so I reignited my love for art and began learning digital art (i.e. 2D collage art). I got hooked. I decided to branch my knowledge/passion for spirituality and astrology into my work and have not looked back. I truly believe if you’re passionate about something, it never goes away; it will come back one way or another. All it took was giving myself a real chance, breaking through the barriers, self-limiting beliefs, etc.
I never thought I would be where I am today 2.5 years after creating Crown and Palette, but the process to becoming the creator I am today certainly wasn't linear; nothing ever is. It is amazing what can happen when you follow your dreams, passions and fully embrace every obstacle, because the beauty is in the process to get there, not the end goal.
Please tell us more about the unique style you’re working in. How did it change over time?
I originally started drawing on my I-pad using Procreate before diving into Photoshop, and this allowed me to just play around, using different brushes, etc. I knew eventually these skills would help me when I wanted to add manual touches to my collage work when needed.
Once I got the hang of Photoshop, I began creating astrological, spiritual, female empowerment type collages. I tend to go for brighter, bolder colors and have some kind of balance or flow to the composition based on the critical life forces of fire, water, earth, and air. I also tend to use female subjects that are nude or wearing a soft fabric. The overall feel of my style is a powerful, enlightened vibe, where I want my audience to feel the power coming out of the imagery.
Over time, I evolved my style in ways where I can place my subjects into more complex angles and compositions, use more advanced lighting techniques, and, most recently, incorporate AI elements into my work. I knew I wanted to learn other mediums/styles that would work better in my collage pieces with the visions I have. I feel that AI is breaking the boundaries so that I'm no longer reliant on finding the right images on stock image sites but can create these images with my imagination and AI software. I have a feeling my style will grow and expand exponentially with AI over the next year.
How did you join the on-chain art movement? Tell us what led you to go down the Web3 rabbit hole.
I found Web3 through a group of creators on Instagram I am close with, and we all decided to jump into the rabbit hole together back in Feb/March 2021.
Having an established support network outside of Web3 beforehand was very helpful in building my networks in the beginning of the process, especially when starting a Twitter account. I have always been open-minded in trying new things, especially when it comes to technology, and once I heard how Web3 is going to expand the creator economy to new heights, there was no turning back. I had nothing to lose.
The biggest motivator for joining Web3, and still is to this day, is because of the community. It is without a doubt the most supportive community I have ever been a part of. Being part of the Joyn team has allowed me to continue supporting the community, but amplified, which I am very grateful for!
What has a significant impact on you as a creator and your ideas?
My inspiration is very much a mind, body, and soul connection; if I am not taking care of myself, my soul, my physical, mental, and spiritual state, it impacts my ability to create. I never run out of ideas, but the process of going from my imagination to paper to the tools I use becomes more difficult to translate if I am not conscious or self-aware of my energy levels. Balance is key!
What can inspire you to make a new piece?
The majority of my inspiration comes from my passion for spirituality, women's empowerment, astrology, and moon cycles. Thankfully, when it comes to astrology and moon cycles specifically, the transits of planets, movement of zodiac signs, etc. are all pre-determined ahead of time, so it provides a structure of when and which pieces I may be inspired to create in that timeline. For example, when a zodiac sign changes every month from the sun in Cancer to Leo or when the moon moves into its first quarter in Sagittarius.
I am also very inspired by tarot cards. I do a reading for myself everyday, and it can help with inspiration for a piece depending on how I am feeling. Sometimes I am also inspired to create works based on mental health topics.
What advice would you give to yourself at the beginning of the creator’s journey? This may be helpful for the folks just starting with art.
The biggest piece of advice I can give is to BUILD YOUR NETWORK FIRST. I cannot stress this enough. Having a supportive network to have your back when you’re first starting out will help when you’re ready to mint your first NFT. It has helped me tremendously to get sales, and many other creators who followed this advice.
I also recommend doing your homework when it comes to cyber security and understanding how you can protect your crypto assets. Unfortunately, there are many scams that happen in Web3 and it is never a bad idea to educate yourself in this area.
What is the next dream project for you?
I really hope to build my own physical tarot deck and create NFTs out of them too. This is a huge endeavor, as it requires 78 cards, plus a card back design, a box, and a guidebook. I have been reading tarot for many years and have been told by clients and friends that my work would look incredible in a deck. How amazing would it be for the collective to carry my art in their hands and also use it for their own spiritual practice? It would bring so much joy.
Check out Andrea’s art on Twitter, Instagram and visit even more of her work on Foundation.
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