Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Andy Adams. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Andy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Yes, I started my artistic career while also working from home. This allowed me time to create but it also gave me the experience of self discipline and not having someone there to tell me what to do and when to do it all the time. One day I decided it was time to make the plunge and dive into my art career completely. It was not easy and it still is not easy. It’s a process of building upon your career and building your work at the same time. My first major steps were my fist solo show and the first art fair that I attended. These two things showed me it was a possible career. I don’t believe I could have sped up the process based off how I did it, I could have always planned better. Sometimes you have to just go for it and stay true to yourself.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am from Greenville, South Carolina, and since birth I have had a fascination with creating.

In my work I take a conceptual approach. While I want it to be aesthetic, I believe the concept should be key.

I have an obsession/fascination with words and their impact on people, life, and the world. I’ve experimented with breaking down words into letters and explored the way that letters are harmless until we begin moving and placing them to make a word.

I use letters in my work, and the viewers have a natural desire to make words out of the letters. By doing this, the work becomes interactive and personal to each viewer. The viewers essentially become a part of the work. Each piece also has a concept specific to the work.

In my paintings I use acrylic paint, ink, charcoal, graphite, and spray paint on wood panel.

As an artist, I continue to manipulate ideas and examine what we tend to take for granted and don’t stop to think about.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think one thing is pricing. A lot of people don’t understand why original art is so expensive. I’ve been asked how long a piece took to create and I can’t really answer. The piece may have taken 40 hours to complete but it took an unknown amount of hours to actually create. To me creation and completion of art go together but are also separate. The creation of the art may have been sketched and thought of for months and even years while the completion of the piece took a couple of days.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I want my pieces to make people to think, laugh, and most of all communicate. In this day and age people are quick to break off and not have a conversation. There is a chaos in communication these days because of the internet, social media, etc. I believe our brains aren’t totally ready for it. I want people to stop and look at my work then talk to each other about it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thenameisa-n-d.com
• Instagram: @thenameisand