Our new Get to Know Your A2AC Instructors! series dives into who the amazing A2AC instructors are, what they do outside of the A2AC, their favorite teaching moments, fun facts, and more.
The next instructor in this series is Andrea Lozano!
Click on the Questions to see Andrea’s answers!
“First of all: It is your birthright to create art. Value the process more than the product. Most of all, enjoy yourself!”
Tell us about yourself.
Born in Mexico City to a Michigan-born mother and Mexican father, Andrea calls herself a “Michimeca.” At age 13, she audited art classes at the University of Guadalajara’s Escuela de Artes Plásticas. After earning her BFA from Olivet College and studying graphic design at WMU, she freelanced for The Detroit Institute of Arts, Cranbrook Schools, and The Detroit Chamber Music Orchestra. She has illustrated four books. As an owner of the Art of Living Studio/gallery, she co-founded the Michigan Chapter of the American Society of Portrait Artists (ASOPA). In 2002, she was named “Michigan Hispanic Artist of the Year” by the MI Hispanic Caucus in Lansing. After teaching high school art and Spanish in Santa Fe, NM, she spent one year in Mexico creating art and getting reacquainted with the culture she loves. Back in Michigan, she continues to share her experiences through teaching.
What does your creative practice look like?
Portraiture is a genre that fascinates and challenges me. My realistic style, though I try to capture personality in my work. During my recent year in Chapala, Mexico, I used watercolors to spontaneously capture my impressions of people, still life, and landscapes. This medium also leads me to create a line of watercolor paper jewelry I sell at art fairs.
What is next for your artistic career?
I wish to continue to share and connect with others through teaching. I would also like to illustrate more books using my digital tablet.
What are your favorite teaching moments?
I have been a teacher/instructor in several capacities throughout my life. Now that I’m in Ann Arbor to live near my sons, the Ann Arbor Art Center feels like a wonderful space for connecting with my new community through art. Portraiture is one of my favorite classes to teach because it is very satisfying to see my student’s skills grow.
I was proud of my high school students’ paper mache “Statues of Liberty” for the Santa Fe Recycle Art Show. Students could choose to dress and pose to express themselves, creating poignant social messaging. They won first place and were featured in the Albuquerque Journal. The process taught me to trust my student’s creativity. I look forward to many more insightful experiences while teaching at the Ann Arbor Art Center.
What would you say to someone interested in art but nervous about taking a class?
First of all: It is your birthright to create art. Value the process more than the product. Most of all, enjoy yourself!
