Collection: About the artist
Artist Statement
My artwork is rooted in the observation of nature and the environment around me. I draw from everyday experiences such as the sunlight illuminating a leaf, a drifting cloud, the mood of an interesting room, or a weather shift. Using this inspiration, I filter it’s essence through my imagination into something that will guide the viewer into an experience. My work highlights the wonder that exists when we take time to notice it. Each piece is an invitation to discover a sense of stillness, aliveness, or awe. In a world full of noise and pressure to keep moving, my art explores the value of slowing down and paying attention. It transforms the ordinary into something fantastical.
Bio
Andrea Jankowski is a Minneapolis-based artist whose layered, evocative works explore themes of connection to place and environment. Raised in both small town Wisconsin and the Twin Cities, her creative journey has been shaped by life in the Midwest and rich cultural experiences abroad. Spending 5 transformative years abroad in Sweden, South Korea, The Republic of Georgia, and Poland deepened her sensitivity to the emotional undercurrents tied to specific places. Andrea earned a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2004 and graduated from the Milan Art Institute in December 2025, advancing her fine art practice. Growing up loving the magic of Disney animations and watching drawings come to life, from the age of 8, Andrea knew she wanted to be an artist. She sat at the kitchen table with a pencil and paper drawing Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, the spark that ignited her lifelong artistic journey.
Andrea’s works are composed of rich transparent layers, often times beginning freely and playfully with inks, textures, acrylics, charcoal, and refined in oils. They are guided by the marks of the layers below. Her work showcases life’s small moments and impressions focusing on mood and light. Andrea’s art is influenced by the seasons, and subtle variations within seasons. Each season evokes a different emotion, reflecting the inseparable connection to nature and the environment around us. Additionally, she draws on experiences of living in different parts of the world and how different environments can affect our moods, perceptions, and feelings.“I want my work to be quiet with a loud presence,” she says.
Andrea works in her sunlit Minneapolis studio 6 days a week often times enjoying the sound of the birds or wind outside her studio window. Her hobbies include the outdoors, backpacking and hiking, as well as playing the French Horn in a concert band which are constant sources of inspiration. Her future plans include incorporating more outdoor time and nature into her artistic practice, continuing an exploration of presence, place, and the unseen forces that connect them.
