- City
- Vancouver
- Booth
- Nathan Phillips Square
Booth 297
Andrea Tucker
Originally from St. Catharines Ontario, I moved to Vancouver BC and became a tattoo artist after taking a one year Art Fundamentals program at Sheridan College in 1993. I found that tattooing was too stressful for me so l started to spend all my time painting. I preferred the solitude and I was better able to express my personal vision. I achieved some success in the early years but mental illness and addictions led to a period of isolation and although I was still creating, I didn't share my work for a significant length of time. In 2022, I decided it was time to start showing my art again since it was piling up and because I have been living a healthier lifestyle. I had a solo exhibition at Elissa Cristall Gallery (Vancouver, BC) in the spring of 2023 which gave me the confidence to apply for the Toronto Art Fair.
In this series, I used oil paint on wood panel. Most of the frames are found in thrift stores and refinished to suit the particular painting. I consider my style to be fantasy, pop surrealism and outsider. I am inspired by the West Coast Lowbrow scene from the 80’s to early 2000’s as well as artists from the early 20th century and the old masters. I am influenced by the tattoo culture, the tarot, archetypes and symbolism.
I created this series "All In My Head" to represent the burden that we all carry on/in our heads as we face the challenges in our lives. As i created the "stories", sometimes I planned them out ahead of time and other times I just made them up while drawing. I might start with one element or simple idea and let my mind wander and see where it leads. Other times I have a fully formed idea that turns out almost exactly as I pictured it in my mind. I find it challenging to explain my work to others because the images will strike each viewer in a different way. I prefer people to come up with their own ideas, meaning and interpretation of my paintings. And so I welcome you to explore my work and see what stands out and speaks to you.
