About the Artist

My name is Carola McAndrew. Born and raised in Germany, I moved to the United States after I married. I wasn’t exposed to art in school, but I have always been drawn to the visual arts.

I am an abstract artist reveling in color, texture and composition. Color adding and subtracting and the use of mediums and materials are central to my work.  Combining those elements is how I produce my paintings. 

Abstract composition fascinates me. Most of my abstract art comes from how I feel and see things. It is an expression of my emotions and takes inspiration from colors and forms I see. I am very inspired by the work of Expressionists that emerged between 1929 and 1959.

After having lived in Europe for a few years and returning to the U.S., I decided to take painting classes. My first class was an oil painting class. Rather than painting realistically, I focused on recreating the colors in my scenes. I put them down the way I saw and felt them. I then worked intensively in watercolor before finding my way to acrylics and abstract composition. 

I have attended classes at the Visual Art Center in Summit, NJ, the Art Works Downtown in San Rafael, CA and 4 semesters at the College of Marin. I have shown my work before in solo and group exhibitions. 

I have volunteered as a docent at the SVMA and I help autistic adults with art projects at Sweetwater Spectrum in Sonoma.

The natural beauty of Sonoma’s vineyards, hills, and changing light, along with its rich social and cultural life, music, and sense of connection, continue to influence both my artwork and my daily life.