Q: When did you first see that you had a gift and passion for art? Andre: It’s hard to tell because really it feels like it’s been with me my entire life and is part of my lifestyle now. I’ve always thought of it as something that’s just a part of me. Q: The work that you’re now creating today — its maturity and mastery — is unbelievable. Where do you get your inspiration? Andre: My style slowly evolved but I always take inspiration directly from nature. I love everything about it — trees, animals, space, the cosmos — and also how we talk about atoms and the molecular level of it all. I also like the innocence of nature. Of course, nature is not totally innocent, but it’s overall beauty inspires me. Q: Are there any people that you look to for inspiration? Andre: I love Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson, how they both talk about the world. I love David Attenborough, Brian Cox, and Ian Stewart. Q: What do your friends at your age think of your passion and talent with art? Andre: Well they’re my friends so they probably wouldn’t say anything bad about it. But I think they like it. Lots people say they like it. Some say its okay, but overall my friends are supportive. Q: What are the things that are exciting to you but has nothing to do with art? Andre: Well I have animals and I love playing with them. And studying with my mom and dad, that’s fun too. We have chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits, a turtle, and a buggee who says really weird things like, “The world’s not for us, maybe next time.” It’s just weird and adorable and hilarious. We also have fish and an axolotl. Q: Do you ever have the equivalent of writer’s block, where you don’t have an idea to paint? Andre: I actually never have an idea for what I’ll do. It’s one of my characteristics. It’s as though I feel like I give the paint and materials to the painting, and then the painting makes everything itself. Like there’s almost an energy field over the canvas. (SD-Agencies) | 