Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Lamarsaude.
Andrea, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Four years ago, major changes took place in my life that caused me to embark on a new journey as a visual artist. Up until then, I had enjoyed a career in marketing communications for over 25 years.
Born and raised in Dallas, I graduated from my dad and grandfather’s alma mater, Southern Methodist University. My first job in marketing was managing tradeshows at Texas Instruments. I have a bicultural French/American background. I lived and worked in Paris and my husband Christophe was born there. I had the opportunity to work internationally in Europe, Africa, and Asia with Alcatel (now part of Nokia), a French telecommunications company.
I also worked in marketing communications on the agency side at Ascend Marketing in Grapevine, Texas. I was President of the American Marketing Association, Dallas/Fort Worth chapter in 2011-12.
In 2014, my longtime friend Walter Hofheinz, who is a lawyer and an artist in Dallas, asked me to share a studio space with him at the Continental Gin Building – Dallas CreativeSpace in Deep Ellum. I took him up on the offer and set up my first studio space at the Gin! I took courses at the Creative Arts Center, and Oil and Cotton in Dallas, watched tons of YouTube art tutorial videos and plunged into painting!
With my marketing communications background, I have a great passion for telling stories using the written word. My art became a visual extension of that. My hope is that my paintings tell captivating stories, inspire conversations, and bring positive, creative energy into the world.
Has it been a smooth road?
My path to becoming an artist began with a family tragedy. Sunday, August 24th, 2014 Christophe and I took our then 12-year old daughter Emilie to a One Direction concert.
When we came back, we found our home engulfed in flames. We lost our three dogs, two cats, turtle, and our entire home. It devastated our family. With the help of extremely supportive family, friends and colleagues, over the last four years we have slowly but surely built back our lives.
Christophe, Emilie and I all found ways to heal. Mine was art. I painted and painted and painted to help deal with the pain of our loss. As I began to emerge from what had happened to us, I realized that I did not ever want to stop painting.
It made me stronger and infused me with a renewed sense of purpose, bringing artistic beauty into the world. Since then I have continued to work on perfecting my craft.
I am extremely grateful for these amazing opportunities that have come my way:
– In 2016 my good friend and talented artist Todd Morgenstern, owner of Swank Home at the Dallas Market Center, began carrying select works of my art!
– This past April my wonderful friends Virginie Naigeon-Malek and Amin Malek, owners of Avanti Restaurant in Uptown Dallas, launched an Arts Al Fresco exhibition series featuring emerging local artists. I was thrilled and honored when they asked me to be the first artist at the event!
-The extremely supportive of the arts law firm, Maddrey PLLC featured my work in their Open House + Art Exhibition this past April during Dallas Arts Month!
– Also, this year I became a featured artist with Art for Your Cause a revolutionary online art gallery supporting non-profits. As well, I joined the board of Dallas-based Color Me Empowered a non-profit dedicated to empowering at-risk children while improving neglected communities through public art.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I am most proud of my successful transition from marketer to artist! I feel I’ve been able to build a bridge between the worlds of marketing and art that enables me to create some wonderful synergies between the two! For example, mentoring other artists and helping them to market their work!
Along with my artistic journey I have found that I have a passion for abstract acrylic, mixed media, collage and fluid art. I enjoy using a variety of mediums in my art; acrylic, oil pastels, alcohol and India inks, mono-printing, hand-painted papers, stencils, image transfers, mark making tools, found objects, and lots of love.
Inspiration and themes for my work include:
– Abstract color explorations that exemplify overcoming a family tragedy, the healing process, emerging on the other side stronger than you were before.
– Creations that reflect my affection for the magical city that is Paris, France. As Audrey Hepburn said in Sabrina, “Paris is always a good idea!”
– Paintings infused with enigmatic and beautiful blooms such as the ethereal lily and the unwaveringly strong lotus flower.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The Dallas arts culture is strong, vibrant, growing every day and full of potential for even more growth! The sky’s the limit for emerging artists!
Spaces supporting artists are popping up all over the city! A prime example is the Goldmark Cultural Center: Artspace & Studios. The Center provides both exhibition opportunities and exciting workspaces for the Dallas creative community.
I hope you’ll join me at my exhibition, the Bold | Brave Showcase at ArtSpace at Metropolitan Press (a huge supporter of emerging artists!) in Dallas, October 8th to the 26th. The Showcase will feature all women artists and includes art infused with bold colors, charged abstracts, strong women, a child’s fight against epilepsy, and vibrant scenes!
I’m looking forward to the next steps in the journey of Andrea Lamarsaude Art!
Contact Info:
- Address: 14001 Goldmark Drive, Studio 135 Dallas, Texas 75240
- Website: www.andrealamarsaude.com
- Phone: 469-499-6667
- Email: andrea@lamarsaude.com
- Instagram: @andrealamarsaude
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/AndreaLamarsaudeArt
- Twitter: @andreadallas
- Other: www.thecenterarts.org
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
