Andrea was born and raised in Baton Rouge. She left after high school to pursue the path of a professional artist. She received formal art training at LSU (1986), Kansas City Art Institute (BFA 1990), the University of Texas at Austin (MFA 1994) and at the SACI summer program in Florence, Italy (1986). After leaving a 20 year marketing career in artist materials working for Ampersand (founded in Austin and now in Buda, TX), she continues exploring materials through her experimental and abstract work in mixed media. Andrea currently lives in Southwest Austin and works from her home studio with her musical partner John and her calico studio assistant M. Grace.