We were lucky to catch up with Aondrea Maynard recently and have shared our conversation below.
Aondrea, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I first knew I wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally when I took a painting class in high school at age 17 and I experienced a whole new deeper world open up within myself that gave me wings of sorts.
I grew up as a very quiet middle child of nine surrounded by nature and left to my imaginative world in the companionship of trees, gardens & creeks, a great comfort & nourishment to me. As my family moved around a lot I often found myself “the new kid” in school, shy, and quiet & found it difficult to connect & express myself with those around me.
Growing up I was incredibly blessed to have a mother who encouraged creativity & our connection with the Natural world. In my home life & schooling, I had a lot of space for creative exploration. I enjoyed creating with materials of all kinds including sewing, clay, woodworking, ceramics, sculpture, and painting. Being imaginative & creative in the garden, with the flowers, in the trees & alongside the creeks were the most cherished childhood moments for me.
It was in this painting class at age 17 that I distinctly recall telling myself … “I don’t know what it will be but I know I need to do something creative with my life”. This deeper creative world gave me a connection & intimacy with myself that I can only describe as ancient, soothing, wondrous, and so nourishing. It provided me with a language to express and connect with the deeper world within and around me that language and words never gave me.
This quiet, yet profound world of connection and creation continues to be a “sublime conversation” that I cherish to this day.
Aondrea, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
After highschool, as I did not expect “fine art” to be my livelihood, I explored many creative modalities in college including graphic design, photography, art history, advertising etc., I then decided fabric and textile design would be a good focus of study for me.
I studied this for a couple of years, became the best watercolorist in our class, was asked to apprentice with a textile designer over a summer …. accidentally got a measurement wrong on a repeat pattern I had sketched out and then was no longer needed. A blessing in disguise truly as I quickly realized that the mechanical approach to textile design didn’t take me to that deeper world of co-creating that I love.
I realized that making original works of art that came from my inner beckoning and curiosities is what I love most as an artist. So, I kept making original art simply as my pleasure as I continued to explore other “jobs”. Along the way I was inspired to share my paintings in little cafes, boutiques, home furniture stores, and then Open Studios, sent postcards to local galleries and my work started to catch some attention. I connected with my first gallery, was given my first solo show, and asked to do commission work for many of their clients & collectors, and by the age of 35, I became a full-time professional artist.
Today I continue to create original works of art all “Modern Interpretation of The Natural World” with various collections including “Contemporary Scapes”, “Falling Water, Forest Light”, “Sea & SUN”, “Flora”, “The Mud & The Lotus Collection”, Collaged works of art and a more abstract & mystical body of work I call “The Creation Collection”.
Today I create original works of art, customized commissioned pieces for public spaces and private collectors, and have done art licensing projects with Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, etc., and licensed my art to be used as style/decor sets that can be seen on shows, Apple TV etc.
My paintings can be seen on cruise ships, in hospitals, hotels, corporate offices, and private homes across the world from San Francisco to Copenhagen, London & Dubai
Being that I love creating Beauty with anything I can get my hands on I have also been blessed to be able to explore other creative passions and provide Home Styling, decor & indoor garden support for clients and collectors in The Bay Area which has also been a delight; a perfect balance to my solo studio time. I love co-creative collaborations and love creating a sense of “Sanctuary, Beauty, and Zen” for my client with styling, creative mentoring, and works of art.
My inspirations include The Natural World as the primary muse, the wonder, and awe of our human journey, the mystery of creation, and our connection to the simple, sublime stillness.
I am inspired to create works of art as portals that invite the viewer into a deeper world of serenity & awe that connects them to a richer, more nourishing world within & around them
As my creative work continues to inspire me to explore a deeper world of mystery & transformation I am excited to share the creative adventure with my world!
My Mission / STUDIO BLESSING:
May we remember that we were always meant to know a deep peace from an inner world; to know the Magic embodied in The Natural World; for us to feel our most True Heart | Soul | Essence | Presence in our times of quiet, in our times with Nature, with the people we Love; for us to know in these places and times that we are held, we are guided, we are cared for; that we are always enough … That we are Loved.
In this wild, mysterious life we live, may we remember that we are all connected.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. We Eat Sunshine & We Are Bathed in Beauty.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being creative is delivering a soothing, nourishing inspiring experiences for my clients that take them beyond their busy thinking minds to connect them to an emotionally evocative world of simply … BEING.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
A mission that drives my creative journey is to inspire the viewers to consider that we are part of a richer, more powerful, beautiful world of love and connection than our minds could ever imagine and for my them to feel that serenity, wonder & Love.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.aondreamaynard.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aondrea_maynard_fineart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aondrea.maynard/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
- Twitter: https://x.com/search?q=aondrea%20maynard&src=typed_query
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AondreaMaynardArtandStyle/featured
Image Credits
Photo credit for the one in-studio action shot
by the Danish Photographer
Yann Houlberg Andersen
https://yannha.wixsite.com/yannhandersen