Artist. Dog Lover. Mini Cow Farmer Wanna-Be.
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Despite 'rona's best efforts, Andi just finished a world-wide sold out duet tour with Yo-Yo Ma. She is still has high hopes for her last chance at the Olympics (curling) but if that doesn't work out, there's always training for the hot dog eating contest. In her spare time, she takes her miniature cows for long walks on the beach. You can regularly find me either: A) hunched over my desk, tweezers in hand, obsessively searching through magazines for the perfect color. B) curled up with my iPad, sketches beside me on the couch, buried deep in my illustrations. |
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Artist Statement
I’ve always had a creative soul- there is so much magic in making something out of nothing. I suppose my art career really took off, when in second grade, my work was published in the school calendar. When I was 16, I was quickly using up all the class’ art supplies because I was painting too much. My art teacher, in her infinite wisdom, gave me a project which involved paper tearing to slow me down. This is when I began incorporating paper into a majority of my artwork. It may look effortless, but there is quite a bit of method behind my madness. Although I’ve used many different base materials, I find that working on smooth wood panels works best because it results in a cleaner look. After a refined drawing, I grab my very worn pair of tweezers and always start with the eyes. I figure if I can’t get those right there is no use in continuing. I’m pleased to say I’ve yet to scrap a project! Once they are perfect I move on, usually to the nose, eventually connecting the mosaic like a giant puzzle. The first 10 hours or so are very stressful while I get each piece exactly right. I work my way from extremely detailed- pieces as small as the lead end of a pencil- to quarter size plus. The background is always done last and then once I’m happy, the entire piece gets an acrylic protective topcoat. Generally speaking, I won’t move on until it’s perfect, so that last piece is really exciting to put on! As a plug for my tweezers- I couldn’t do it without them. They are basically an extension of my fingers and never leave my hand. When working, each piece of paper is torn specifically for its spot. Pieces for the nose and parts of the eye are generally round while hairs are long and skinny. For paper, I use magazines that generally have full pages of pictures, nice thick paper and are rich in their colors. For example, National Geographic is one of my favorites, not only for its color but there are nice wide white margins (I only use whites that are white on both sides to prevent ink transparency). Vogue has a lot of fun colors, such as pink, which is hard to find (as are nice yellows). Ninety percent of the magazines I use are donated. Recently I’ve been really trying to incorporate more expressiveness and action into my contemporary art. Sometimes it is more evident in the way I layer each paper and other times it’s through the action of the animals being portrayed. I’ve always had this passionate, unexplainable connection to animals, which has been largely influenced by my Kansas farmgirl upbringing. In some ways I feel like my job is to tell each of the animals’ stories in a semi-realistic manner, sharing a slice of their soul. |
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Artist Biography
Andi Burnum is a paper mosaic artist and illustrator. She got her first picture published in the school calendar in second grade and has been creating ever since. In high school, she was painting nonstop, plowing through all the class’ art supplies. Her art teacher gave her a paper mosaic project to slow her down and boy, did it ever. She immediately fell in love with the process. Andi decided to major in art in college and made it an entire year before deciding that no one could make a living doing studio art and she didn’t want to do graphic design. Pre-med seemed like a nice choice. After a quick detour medical assisting in the orthopedic world, she decided that perhaps this wasn’t creative enough. It seemed logical to start a moderately successful chocolate truffle company, AndiChocolates. Eventually, Andi found herself putting more creative energy into designing the chocolate boxes than the chocolates. After a small natural disaster, she decided to box up the business and move on.
Although she’d been doing mosaics as side projects for years, in 2014 she finally circled around and found herself being fulfilled with creating fine art. Largely self-taught, she’s been refining her paper process over the last 20 years. In 2018 she decided to begin illustrating a page a day, to better her drawing skills. Oddly enough, the chicken scratch illustration work balances out the OCD and slow work of tearing paper.
Andi presently lives in Colorado but her heart is in the open skies of Kansas- home of her family farm and major artistic inspiration. Only a few hours from Evergreen, she’s “employed” as a part time farm hand on the much loved family farm and heads back whenever she gets a chance. While there and when she’s supposed to be working, she’s often found getting in trouble for taking pictures of cows during critical times, such as when bulls are fighting. Andi’s expressive mosaics have been exhibited in numerous shows, receiving high accolades and she’s exceptionally proud of her first solo show (2018). She has recently begun illustrating for commercial projects as well as dabbling in the overwhelming world of picture books.
Andi Burnum is a paper mosaic artist and illustrator. She got her first picture published in the school calendar in second grade and has been creating ever since. In high school, she was painting nonstop, plowing through all the class’ art supplies. Her art teacher gave her a paper mosaic project to slow her down and boy, did it ever. She immediately fell in love with the process. Andi decided to major in art in college and made it an entire year before deciding that no one could make a living doing studio art and she didn’t want to do graphic design. Pre-med seemed like a nice choice. After a quick detour medical assisting in the orthopedic world, she decided that perhaps this wasn’t creative enough. It seemed logical to start a moderately successful chocolate truffle company, AndiChocolates. Eventually, Andi found herself putting more creative energy into designing the chocolate boxes than the chocolates. After a small natural disaster, she decided to box up the business and move on.
Although she’d been doing mosaics as side projects for years, in 2014 she finally circled around and found herself being fulfilled with creating fine art. Largely self-taught, she’s been refining her paper process over the last 20 years. In 2018 she decided to begin illustrating a page a day, to better her drawing skills. Oddly enough, the chicken scratch illustration work balances out the OCD and slow work of tearing paper.
Andi presently lives in Colorado but her heart is in the open skies of Kansas- home of her family farm and major artistic inspiration. Only a few hours from Evergreen, she’s “employed” as a part time farm hand on the much loved family farm and heads back whenever she gets a chance. While there and when she’s supposed to be working, she’s often found getting in trouble for taking pictures of cows during critical times, such as when bulls are fighting. Andi’s expressive mosaics have been exhibited in numerous shows, receiving high accolades and she’s exceptionally proud of her first solo show (2018). She has recently begun illustrating for commercial projects as well as dabbling in the overwhelming world of picture books.
Selected Juried Shows:
"Animals & Vegetables" Dallas Metro Arts Contemporary, Dallas, TX March 2021
Western Spirit Juried Show and Sale, Cheyenne, WY 2021
Member's Show Foothills Art Center, Golden CO 2021
90th Annual Juried Competition National Art League NY, James LaMantia judge, 2020
36th Annual Juried Exhibit National Collage Society 2020
2020 Botanical Show, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
The 2020 National Fine Art Show, Lincoln Gallery, Loveland, CO
Western National Juried Exhibition, Dallas, TX, 2020 Ann Zembala, Pearce Collections Museum Director juror
Gilpin Arts 73rd Annual Juried Art Show, Central City CO 2020, Virginia Unsled judge
Lone Tree Art Expo, Lone Tree, CO, 2019, Colleen Fanning juror
Lincoln Gallery 2019 Regional Fine Art Show, Loveland, CO 2019
Stanton Art Gallery at Town Hall Theatre Littleton, CO 2019
Member's Show- Center for the Arts Evergreen, CO 2019
Open Studio Show Foothills Art Center 2018
Foothills Member Show, Golden, CO 2018
Amuse Yeax Golden, CO 2018
Colorado Mosaic Show Belmar Arts Center, Lakewood, CO
Selected Solo Shows:
Solo Show Quincy Art Gallery, St. Francis, KS 2018
Selected Group Shows:
"Syncopation" at SYNC Gallery, Denver, CO Feb-March 2021
Evergreen Open Door Studio Tour 2020
Salon Show, Foothills Art Center 2020
Center for the Arts Evergreen Buchanan Satellite Location, Evergreen, CO 2019
Open Studio Show -- Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO 2019
Selected Awards:
Honorable Mention 2D, "Two Ton Dance" 2020
1st Place Mixed Media (Gentle Ben) 2019
"Gretta Jean" Best of Show
"Judge's Merit" Curtis Art Gallery, Littleton, CO
Collections
Across the United States and the world, including Canada, Bahamas & Australia
Across the United States and the world, including Canada, Bahamas & Australia
Public Art:
Porcupine, Mtn. Goat & Bison on furniture. "The Eddy" Restaurant & Hotel, Golden, CO 2021
"Cool as a Cactus," mosiac art place on electric box 12th & Washington, Golden, CO 2020
Porcupine, Mtn. Goat & Bison on furniture. "The Eddy" Restaurant & Hotel, Golden, CO 2021
"Cool as a Cactus," mosiac art place on electric box 12th & Washington, Golden, CO 2020
Education
Concentration in illustration, Kansas State University 2002
Concentration in illustration, Kansas State University 2002
Representation
Contributing Artist at SYNC Gallery, Denver 2020, 2021
Contributing Artist at SYNC Gallery, Denver 2020, 2021
Other Art Activities
Art Contributor to:
Center for the Arts Evergreen 120 for $120
Foothills Art Center Gala Fundraiser
Bergen Park Middle School
Gilpin County Artist Association
Art Contributor to:
Center for the Arts Evergreen 120 for $120
Foothills Art Center Gala Fundraiser
Bergen Park Middle School
Gilpin County Artist Association
Strengths
Paper Mosaic Artist
Works on Paper- Pen & Watercolor illustration
Acrylic Painting
Procreate digital illustration
Paper Mosaic Artist
Works on Paper- Pen & Watercolor illustration
Acrylic Painting
Procreate digital illustration
Professional Development
Art Career coaching with Kathy Beekman
SCBWI conferences- Spring 2019, Lines & Letters RMC Conference 2019
Six Month illustration mentorship with Kaz Windness
Drawing Classes, Art Students League, Denver
Art Career coaching with Kathy Beekman
SCBWI conferences- Spring 2019, Lines & Letters RMC Conference 2019
Six Month illustration mentorship with Kaz Windness
Drawing Classes, Art Students League, Denver
Other Professional Experience
Graphic Designer for chocolate boxes and chocolates
Faux Finishing, Fresh Paint, Lakewood, CO, employee
Graphic Designer for chocolate boxes and chocolates
Faux Finishing, Fresh Paint, Lakewood, CO, employee
Affiliations:
Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO 2006-Present
Evergreen Center for the Arts, Evergreen, CO 2014-Present
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Rocky Mountain Affiliation, 2017-Present
Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO 2006-Present
Evergreen Center for the Arts, Evergreen, CO 2014-Present
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Rocky Mountain Affiliation, 2017-Present
Publications:
Canion Courier, Your Mountain Connection, Newspaper, Photos, p. 28 March 2021
Canion Courier, Newspaper, Article & Image, September 23, 2020 page 6
Center for the Arts Evergreen, Newsletter, Featured Artist, July 8, 2020
Foothills Art Center, Blog, "Inside an Artist's Studio," June 15, 2020
Loveland Reporter-Herald, Newspaper, Arts Section, Image, October 2019
Rawlins County Square Deal, Newspaper, by Jess Mews, Image, November 19, 2018
Canion Courier, Your Mountain Connection, Newspaper, Photos, p. 28 March 2021
Canion Courier, Newspaper, Article & Image, September 23, 2020 page 6
Center for the Arts Evergreen, Newsletter, Featured Artist, July 8, 2020
Foothills Art Center, Blog, "Inside an Artist's Studio," June 15, 2020
Loveland Reporter-Herald, Newspaper, Arts Section, Image, October 2019
Rawlins County Square Deal, Newspaper, by Jess Mews, Image, November 19, 2018
Presentations:
St. Mary's Academy, Mosaic Artist Presenter for 6th graders, Centennial, CO 2014
Bird City High School, Paper Mosaic & Illustration Presented to Freshman - Senior Art Students, Bird City, KS 2019
Morning StArt Program, Golden, CO 2020
St. Mary's Academy, Mosaic Artist Presenter for 6th graders, Centennial, CO 2014
Bird City High School, Paper Mosaic & Illustration Presented to Freshman - Senior Art Students, Bird City, KS 2019
Morning StArt Program, Golden, CO 2020
