Exploring the relationship between reproduction and interpretation through imagery.
Introducing self-taught artist Andy Mister. Whether it was the art classes he took in school or the first-hand experience he gained as an artist assistant to Adam Helms, Andy Mister’s work exemplifies talent, passion, and creativity. His art has been exhibited in several galleries and museums worldwide, and we envy his craftsmanship.
Andy Mister is fascinated by the relationship between reproduction and reinterpretation. Using sources like Life Magazine, history textbooks, and the internet, Mister transforms different images by removing their original context to create something new. While preserving some elements of the images’ meaning, he introduces new layers of significance.
Mister’s process involves both modern and conventional techniques. During pre-production, he crops and alters various images in Photoshop or similar computing software. Once he begins working on a piece, he submerges large sheets of watercolor paper underwater and stretches them out. After they dry stiff and tight, like canvas, he tints the entire paper with a solid color. Finally, he draws an image using carbon pencils, ink, acrylic, or charcoal, and then mounts it onto a wooden panel.
The artist explores the idea of copying and how it changes, loses, or creates value in a piece. Previously, Andy Mister has replicated imagery from crowds, protests, and other historical scenes. Yet in his latest series, he captures the beauty of nature, depicting images of flowers, mountains, and the natural world.
Andy Mister invites us to reconsider how we perceive and interact with the world around us, changing the meaning behind something once familiar into something new.
