Andrew Thornton
he/him
Ligonier, PA
Andrew Thornton is a professional fine artist, trained at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He is a gay, BIPOC maker who works in painting, collage, and metalsmithing. His work explores identity through magical realism and fantasy. Andrew is the Co-Owner of Allegory Gallery in Johnstown, PA and Star Cottage Studio in Ligonier, PA. Andrew also was elected to the Board of Directors for Touchstone Center for Crafts. Andrew’s first curatorial project, “No Place Like Home” will debut at the Metal Museum in Memphis, TN in May 2024.
“When I was growing up, I oftentimes retreated into the pages of fairytales and folktales. I loved myths from around the world. My mother also told me stories from her motherland that seemed too otherworldly to be true (but were). There are motifs in these stories that appear in my work. I find that the archetypal elements in these stories help explain life and bring order to chaos. I use them both in the collages and metalwork that I make to explore identity and the stories that we’re told about ourselves and how we should be.”
How does your work relate to the theme transformation— How does the work translate joy into strength?
"In fairytales, oftentimes the wolf is seen as the ultimate villain. They gobble up grandma or would blow down houses. When I was growing up, there were many people in my life who thought that being gay was wrong and sinful. Gay people were the boogeymen that spread disease. I stood there listening to their anger and rage and wondered if they knew that I was gay… that I was the “monster” lurking in the shadows. A lot of the work that I do now deals with the exploration of identity. To me, this piece is a reminder of how we must overcome our own inner demons and challenge the narratives that we are told and that we tell ourselves. There is beauty in endings and new beginnings, and transforming hurt and pain into something beautiful."
"Full Circle", Enameled copper, bronze granulation, iridescent pigment, forged copper, 18” x 3” x 3” x 0.5”, 2022Anything else you would like to share about this work?
This can be an important part of the process, sourcing materials, or research.
"While this piece may seem kind of dark, I believe that death is a part of life. You have to be willing to give up some things in order to create fertile grounds."
