Born and raised in the historic art colony of Lyme, Connecticut, Andréa Anderson was immersed in creativity from the start. She earned her BFA from Lyme Academy College in 2003, receiving the prestigious Stobart Fellowship. From there, her artistic journey unfolded across diverse landscapes and disciplines.

Andréa has always sought to intertwine art with purpose. She has taught youth programs at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum, worked with special needs and inner-city children, organized art initiatives for rehabilitation centers, and contributed to gallery spaces—all in an effort to make art accessible and transformative.

Before moving to the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina, Anderson lived and worked in the Virgin Islands, where she was active in the local art scene and galleries, while also representing Grenadian artists in New York City for St. George’s University. During this time, she discovered a deep passion for ceramics—an art form that would later become central to her practice.

Her studies took her to Florence, Italy, where she trained in fresco painting and classical techniques at the Studio Art Center International (SACI). She later worked in photography and videography while touring as part of a music management company in Malibu, California, expanding her creative reach into development, design, and fashion.

Now splitting her time between Adelboden, Switzerland, and Wales, Andréa works from her pottery and painting studio, where her surroundings deeply influence her recent work.

In uncertain times, Andréa remains steadfast in her belief that art is not just an escape—it is a force of unity, resilience, and renewal.

For me, nature is a place of recalibration—a space to reconnect with myself and shed the noise of everyday life. Whether heading out on a long run up into the mountains or letting its snow covered caps consume me in the winter, solitude and reflection become inescapable. In these moments I see that this is a place where the human condition is laid bare, and I find endless inspiration.

This deep connection to the natural world is woven into both my ceramics and painting. In my ceramic work, I embrace the rawness of clay, often leaving elements exposed to reflect the unrefined beauty of the wilderness. Glazes are carefully chosen and tested, each one relating to the subtle hues of the landscape—earthy tones of the forest, the shifting blues and greens of water and sky, or the muted whites of fresh snow. The interplay of textures and complementary tones mirrors the organic inconsistencies found in nature, creating pieces that feel both grounded and alive.

Similarly, my paintings explore the layering of time, memory, and environment. Recent works combine collage and paint, where underlying montages subtly connect to the subject, creating a dialogue between past and present, seen and unseen. There is a tactile quality to both my paintings and ceramics—each piece carrying the imprint of its making, the memory of the hands that shaped it.

Beyond aesthetics, function and durability are integral to my process. Clay bodies are meticulously selected for strength, ensuring that my ceramics not only exist as art but also withstand the rhythm of daily life. My paintings share this same sense of permanence, inviting the viewer to explore beyond the surface.

Creating bespoke ceramics and layered paintings allows for a dialogue between object, place, and experience. My work is about a sense of belonging—about pieces that tell a story, whether in a restaurant, a home, or a quiet moment with a cup of coffee. My hope is that each piece resonates with those who use or view it, fostering a connection not just to the object itself, but to the environment and intention behind it.