Andrew Thorp is from Tulsa, Oklahoma and currently resides in Baltimore, MD. Thorp attended the Maryland Institute College of Art receiving a BFA and Towson University receiving an MFA. Thorp lives in the neighborhood of Waverly with his cat, Ada.
"M praises the infinite beauty caught in private, liminal spaces through the expression of paint on surface. Through POV scenes of hallways, medians, and windows, these works follow a path of self-reflection and personal discovery that culminates in a profound appreciation for life and living."
Tell us a little about yourself (where you are from) and your background in the arts.
I was born in Ada, Oklahoma but was raised in Tulsa. Both my parents were artists and went to the art school at Oklahoma University (where they met actually). So I have always been in the arts and was fully supported by my family from childhood into adulthood.
I moved to Baltimore to attend MICA where I met a lot of wonderful artists and became emmeshed in the local art scene. Baltimore has a long history of DIY, artists themselves run most galleries and art spaces. These spaces were very inspiring, they were wildly creative and free. By having access to some of these spaces allowed me to have a steady series of work, and room to explore.
What kind of work are you currently making?
I've been making a lot of work recently about the ground. Junk, weeds, trash, or shadows for the most part. During grad school I had a bit of an existential crisis - I was incredibly worried about the future, not just mine but the planet's. I was reading article after article about how global warming will cause mass extinction and decline.
This started to affect my work, I began to think about how these moments we have right now like driving your car down a highway, walking through a business park, taking out your garbage, might be drastically different in the near future. I decided that I could capture the beauty of the moments as a way to cope, or appreciate the time we have right now. I'm not sure I still think this way about my work but that's how it started.
What is a day like in the studio for you?
I would wake up late, hurry and do any chores I have for that day, go to the gym, eat lunch, and then probably nap and look at my phone until I feel ready to work. Once I'm in the studio I clean my palette, tidy up, and put on a podcast or audiobook. Then I try to paint for as long as I can - usually for six to eight hours. I'm not working straight through of course, I'm taking leisurely breaks to look at my phone or pet my cat.
What are you looking at right now and/or reading?
I always scroll instagram to find new painters. Kyle Dunn's work is amazing. Also I always look at the greats for inspiration - Alex Katz, Morandi, Lois Dodd etc. As far as books go I love sci fi. I just finished George Saunder's "Liberation day". I just started David Graeber's "The Dawn of Everything"
Where can we find more of your work? (ex. website/insta/gallery/upcoming shows)
Website: https://andrew-thorp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrew_thorp_/
