Name of business: Morgan Andre Fine Art

Type of business: Artist

Location: www.etsy.com/shop/MorganAndreFineArt

Contact information: morganandre91@gmail.com; @morganandrefineart on Instagram

Specialty: Acrylic abstract paintings

History of business:

Morgan Andre has always had a knack for art, but she never dreamed it would blossom into the career she’s built for herself today. The Turlock native has turned her artistic ability into a successful business with a substantial following, and she shares her talent with the community through not only her artwork, but as an educator as well.

“I love that I get to express myself. It’s so fun that a passion of mine has become something I get to make into a career,” Andre said. “I never really thought that could be a possibility and it’s been fantastic to have support from people in the community and from my family and friends.”

Andre’s foray into all things artistic began at a young age, she said, as she observed both of her “creative” grandmothers express themselves through a variety of means. This piqued her interest in the arts, and from there she flourished in art classes at all levels, from elementary school through her years at Turlock Christian High School.

Soon, she decided that her journey as an artist would continue in post-high school life. She earned her undergraduate degree in Studio Art with a minor in Art History from University of the Pacific, and just a year later began teaching art at her high school alma mater. While she no longer teaches at TCHS, Andre recently completed the single-subject teaching credential program at Stanislaus State and plans to pursue teaching in public education.

“I remember having to make the decision of whether or not I wanted to pursue art,” Andre said. “It took a little bit of a leap of faith, but I realized that I loved art and it was fun.”

In addition to her teaching endeavors, Andre sells art through her Instagram and Facebook pages, as well as her Etsy shop. She enjoys freely creating on canvas as well as curating commissioned work for customers. Most recently, she painted an abstract rendering of Stanislaus County for Sheriff Jeff Dirkse’s office and has also penned intricate botanical diagrams on a chalk board wall for Frantz Nursery.

“I love the challenge of commissions or collaborations with other people where I have to stretch myself creatively,” Andre said.

Andre primarily paints with acrylic on canvas in varying styles, however most of her works utilize expression through color, line and brushwork with inspiration from artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Cy Twombly, Mark Rothko and Stanton Macdonald-Wright, to name a few.

“There have been a lot of changes in my work throughout time, but the overarching theme is expressionism,” she said. “I really try to capture the feelings that I can’t describe in words.”

Lately, Andre has experimented with adding gold and copper flakes to her art, which she believes adds a “new element” to her already beloved style.

The metallic accents can be found frequently on her Etsy page, which she created to offer smaller versions of her work at a more affordable price.

“I noticed a lot of people liked my larger works with the gold and copper flakes, so in order to allow people to buy stuff that’s affordable I just started making these tiny little guys,” Andre said. “People always say original artwork is too expensive and they can’t afford it, so it’s fun to see people able to get something a little different.”

While she has plenty of followers on social media, last summer Andre held a pop-up shop at a local residence to let customers see her paintings in person. It was a success, she said, and amplified all that she’s already accomplished.

“That was super cool to invite literally everyone I know and everyone who follows me on social media,” Andre said. “Allowing people to see it in real life was such a different experience because so much of what they see of my art is through social media. That doesn’t do the art justice.”