The Color Wanderer
Sketch done by Amanda Lewis, inspired by Andrea Fairservice
Artist: Andrea Fairservice
Medium: Painting (Watercolor, Gouache, & Oil)
Type of art you can buy: Original Oils, Original Gouache & Watercolors, Fine Art Prints, Crystal Prints, Stickers & Key Chains, Handmade Art (Ornaments, Painted Jackets, Notebooks, & Patches), Private Commission Work
“A paintbrush, a camera, a heart full of wanderlust” is written at the top of Andrea Fairservice’s Instagram bio and it couldn’t be more simply and perfectly put. She is a seeker of adventure, a seer of the unseen, and a wanderer in color. Her passion bursts through the surface of her art and it’s something to truly admire.
I first found Andrea’s page while riding the Long Island Rail Road home after a 9 hour work day. This was a couple years ago when my day to day life was pretty much the same. I’d wake up and take the hour long train ride into the city. I’d work all day for a boss I couldn’t stand, in a position I was told I was lucky to be in (by said boss… Ya know, not that I worked my butt off to get there or anything. #eyeroll). I’d leave at 6pm, if I was lucky, and take another hour long train ride to get home by almost 8pm, then eat and go to bed. The world would make another rotation and the cycle would keep repeating itself. As a creative person myself, Andrea’s work was an inspiration to me at a time I needed inspiration more than anything in the universe.
What first caught my eye was Andrea’s paintings on denim. I don’t know if you have ever tried painting on denim but it is NOT easy. The material just sucks the paint up like a Bounty paper towel. I was in awe of her brush strokes and placement of color. I thought, if she can make something so special out of something so ordinary, why hadn’t I?
Of course if you take a deeper dive into Andrea’s work you get an instant smack of color in every image. Specializing in landscapes of surprisingly real and yet extraordinary places, she takes you to another dimension of possibility. It’s so fascinating to see the world through her vision of it and it’s something we all need to try!
I had the pleasure of virtually meeting and speaking with Andrea about her journey and passion. Thankfully, she had faith in me enough to agree to be my first Artist feature and I hope I can do her justice! I urge you all to explore the world along side Andrea.
Amanda: Where in the world do you create your work?
Andrea: In my little attic studio in my home and also on the road when I travel. In the past, when it was safe to travel, I’d carry a paint kit with me all the time and would try to use it as much as possible.
Amanda: What was the catalyst that pushed you to start this business?
Andrea: I’ve never really wanted to be anything else. I’ve been hustling, selling my art since I was little. I remember in 2nd or 3rd grade taping drawings around my desk at school trying to sell them to my classmates.
My whole life I’ve heard the “starving artist” thing. I was encouraged to get a degree that was “versatile” and that would offer a lot of career opportunities for me so I could make money and survive I guess. That advice was never given from a place of happiness being the goal. Nevertheless, I did just that because I didn’t know any better. Got a degree in graphic design, worked professionally in an office situation for about a decade and was never happy. I mean, literally from day one of working my first full time job out of school I was having an existential crisis thinking that was what I was going to have to do for the rest of my life.
I fought a mental battle every single day trying to fit the mold I thought I was told i should be happy and supposed to be fitting into. Trying to be something I wasn’t. Finally after years and years of struggling I was able to put a plan into place to leave my full time job, take a part time job and begin working for myself the rest of the time. Weirdly enough the pandemic is the thing that propelled me into working for myself full time because I lost my part time job last March. I know I wouldn’t have left that job in 2020 if I hadn’t been forced to. It was proof to me that you can only plan so much but so much is also out of your control. And although it was and is still scary to not have the other income it’s freed up the time I needed to do the work necessary to properly make it on my own.
Amanda: Not including your current art medium, what other forms of art, music, literature, etc. inspire your work?
Andrea: Well, I just took up knitting which I’m currently obsessing over. I’ve dabbled teaching myself how to play the ukulele, which has been a really great outlet for me to turn to when I’m feeling particularly stressed or anxious. I’m not sure if these two hobbies directly inspire me and my artwork BUT they absolutely help to give me space and creative freedom away from my “job” which I think is a very important space for creatives to carve out for themselves.
Amanda: If you can do anything with your business, regardless of money, social media following, business location, or amount of time since you started, what would it be?
Andrea: Wow! I have not taken anytime to think about a question like this until now. I think my answer has less to do about the “business” of me supporting myself financially by selling my art and just about my art (which will hopefully lead to more business!). My goal is to make work first and foremost, that I love. I do that by staying curious, experimenting, and always learning. I think painters and creatives in general live in this place of never fully knowing what they’re doing, probably because I think we get board very easily with monotony. It’s kind of this uncomfy feeling you get used to. No matter how many times I’ve painted bright sunsets with my oils I ALWAYS have moments of doubt and a little confusion as I work through them. Thoughts of “oh no, did I totally screw this up?” “What do I do now?” or “How do I mix my pigments to get the outcome I want?” But I’ve learned to recognize that as me actively teaching myself. And I hope that I will always feel like I’m still learning and growing as an artist as I work through every piece.
Amanda: Are there any subjects or themes you return to over and over again in your art?
Andrea: Take a look at my social media ;)
Amanda: Where can everyone find you?
Andrea: I share lots of my work and process and life in general on my Instagram: @andrea.fairservice
I’ve also recently entered the realm of TikTok: @andrea.fairservice
You can also check out my website to see my work, remnants of my life as a designer, contact me about commissions and shop my work here:
And I PROMISE in 2021 I will be adding videos to my YouTube account more consistently!
