Andre Lucero lives and maintains a studio in Richmond, Virginia. In combining the draftsmanship of the Academic School along with the advances in color and brushwork of the impressionists, Andre's work captures the drama of common places and objects, as seen through his personal artistic vision. Andre's paintings are inspired by his love of the outdoors. An avid hiker, camper, fly fisherman, and gardener, Andre believes that "even the most simple of subjects can be elevated, taking on a meaning greater than their initial appearance.
Born in Tehran, Iran in 1967, Andre's U.S. Military family returned to the states soon after his birth, settling in a Washington D.C. suburb. Early on, Andre's artistic nature was encouraged by his parents who were both patrons of the arts. He showed early promise, and in high school Andre's artwork was recognized by the Scholastic Art Awards, which resulted in his work being displayed two consecutive years at D.C.'s Corcoran Museum of Art. In college, Andre continued his study of art, ultimately taking his background in fine art and applying it to the study of illustration at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he was awarded the first Annual Mallory Callan Memorial Scholarship for Illustration. In each of his college years, Andre's work was prominently displayed in juried shows and began to sell.
After earning a BFA, cum laude, in 1989, Andre worked for more than a decade as a free-lance illustrator. During that time, his illustrations appeared in numerous publications including The New York Times, Playboy, U.S. News & World Report, The Washington Times, Arthritis Today, Business Law Today, and Government Executive. While his illustration work was honored with the 1995 Virginia Press Association Best of Show Award and the 1994 Award of Excellence from the Art Directors' Club of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Andre decided to leave the field of illustration and devote his full attention to his first love, painting.
Andre is an associate member of the Oil Painters of America and a member of International Plein Air Painters, and The Jack Woodson Sketch Club (plein painting group, Richmond, Virginia ).
|
