Kei nga po atarau - on Moonlit Nights Painting

My name is Andrea and I am an artist living in New Zealand. Creating artwork is as important to me as the air that I breathe. It is the language I use to tell my story, to celebrate nature, and to raise awareness of environmental issues. I have a varied approach to my work. I love many styles and mediums and my messages are more important than using the same approach to my work. From stylised realism to illustration, I love it all! Some of my artworks are based on what I see in the natural environment, and some are from my imagination – this way I can create worlds of beauty and activism, which I hope will create cultural conversations around our environment. I love celebrating nature, so I also paint our natural environment to inspire and uplift viewers which I hope will give a feeling of hope and joy. I am proudly a member of several organisations, I have had a number of articles published, and I am humbled to have won several awards. I support a number of causes, donating money from the sale of my paintings to eco-sanctuaries and schools. As an environmental artist my aim is to work in harmony with the natural environment as much as I can. I only use good quality materials, as good brushes can be used repetitively whereas cheap brushes are generally thrown out after a few uses. I use thick canvases and papers, and museum grade paints - as these last anywhere from 75 – 200 years which is more sustainable than using thin canvases and prints that disintegrate or fade after a short time, and are designed to be thrown out. I also use Schmincke medium gel with my oil paints as it allows me to wash out my brushes in water. In this throw-away society I think it is important that our choices are sustainable both in how we work and what we purchase. ​Thank you for supporting me!