Andrea Orr was born in the high desert city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She grew up surrounded by creativity, but it wasnt until college that she got serious about painting. She went to Pensacola Christian College in Florida, where she got a BFA in Commercial Art in 2006 and an MFA in 2009. That’s also where she met her husband, fellow painter Adam Clague.
At PCC, she learned the importance of accurate drawing, strong value patterns, and variety in edgework from her mentor Brian Jekel. Those skills became the foundation of her work. She’s a representational painter, which means she paints things as they appear, but theres always something more going on under the surface.
Her paintings are all about light. She’s fascinated by how light transforms ordinary objects into something precious. A kitchen item, a piece of fruit, a face, she finds the beauty in everyday things and makes you see them differently. She works in oil and does still lifes, portraits, figures, and landscapes. She also uses both alla prima, which is wet-on-wet, and larger studio compositions.
“My work reveals her fascination with light and the elusive beauty it bestows upon seemingly ordinary objects.”
That quote pretty much sums her up. But theres also a spiritual side to her work. She credits her talent as a gift from God and wants her paintings to bring glory to Him. She hopes her art will connect with people on a deeper level, drawing them to see goodness and love. She believes the human eye holds the key to engaging the soul.
Her work has been shown in some impressive places. She’s exhibited at the Butler Institute of American Art in Ohio, the Albrecht Kemper Museum in Missouri, and even the Moscow Manege. She won the Grand Prize at the 2012 Scottsdale Salon at the Legacy Gallery in Arizona. She was also featured on the cover of Southwest Art Magazine’s “21 Under 31” issue.
Q: What kind of paintings does Andrea Orr do?
A: She does oil paintings of still lifes, portraits, figures, and landscapes. She’s known for her focus on light and finding beauty in ordinary objects.
She and her husband Adam live and work near Kansas City, Missouri. They’re both professional painters and sometimes collaborate on projects and workshops. When she’s not painting, she likes to grow orchids. She once said that if she wasn’t an artist, she’d probably be doing graphic design or photography.
Q: Where can I see Andrea Orr’s work?
A: She has a website at www.andreaorrfineart.com and is represented by Hudson Fine Art & Framing Company in Hudson, Ohio. Her work has also been shown in various galleries and museums across the country.
