Andrew Thornton
he/him
Ligonier, PA, USA
Andrew Thornton is a professional fine artist, trained at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He is a mixed-media artist who works in painting, collage, metalsmithing, and jewelry. His work explores identity through magical realism and fantasy. Andrew is the Co-Owner and Creative Director of Allegory Gallery in Johnstown, PA. Allegory Gallery was one of SCORE’s 2018 American Small Business Championship winners. When he's not creating art, making jewelry, or writing, he is working on Star Cottage Studio. Star Cottage Studio is a working studio in a 100 year old former schoolhouse. Andrew was elected to the Board of Directors for Touchstone Center for Crafts and was recently awarded one of the Artist-in- Residence positions at Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh, PA. Andrew’s first curatorial project, “No Place Like Home” debuted at the Metal Museum in Memphis, TN in May 2024.
“Throughout all of human history, there has been a fascination with the idea of self. The artist is the chronicler and captures, distills, and synthesizes the world around them. My work is no different, but a continuation of a long legacy of the exploration of self and identity through portraiture. I am a storyteller and draw upon elements of fantasy and magical realism to convey my narrative. Growing up gay and a person of color, most of my life has been a game of translation and seeing myself through other people's eyes and expectations.”
How does your work relate to the theme connection?
“When I was growing up, “pretty” was not for boys. We didn’t have a lot of money and used to go to the flea market weekly. Once I found this beautiful beaded brooch. It wasn’t anything particularly special, just a sparkly piece of costume jewelry and I wanted it. I asked my dad to buy it for me and he said, “it’s not for boys”. I remembered that I got a few dollars from my grandparents and tried to buy it. The seller wouldn’t sell it to me. “It’s not for boys.” I eventually said it was a present for my mom and he finally caved. Probably because he wanted to get rid of me. I gave the brooch to my mom and sometimes she’d let me look at it. When I was older and coming to terms with being gay, one of the things I had to learn was how to connect to all the different parts of me. For most of my life I was told that I was ugly and told to subdue the things that made me light up. Do not laugh too loud. Do not wear bright colors. Do not act effeminate. Be less. Do not sparkle or shine. Make yourself smaller, more invisible. Do not rock the boat. Whatever you do, do not wear pink. Do not make yourself a target. I have had to learn how to unpick these knots and connect to who I really am, sparkles and all. Pretty and pink. I have had to learn how to travel through time with my artwork and help heal the child I used to be and reconnect with who I was before the world told me how to act or what to be. This is another piece that I embellished by stitching on vintage glass, polyester resin, Swarovski crystal, rose quartz, amethyst, moonstone, and jade beads onto an acrylic base. I think of color as such an important tool and this piece in vibrant, sparkly pinks shares a facet of my personality."
What role does connection play in your creative process?
“Materiality and process are such important tools for narrative work, because they help further convey a message. Each of the beads that embellish the surface of the brooch is sewn on. When I was growing up, sewing was another thing that wasn’t acceptable for boys. I was allowed to go to the bait and tackle shop, but I was not allowed to learn how to sew. My grandmother was one of my fiercest defenders and wanted to encourage me in whatever interested me. She snuck me into the sewing circle and one of my earliest memories was laying on my back beneath a patchwork quilt, watching hands at work and hearing a murmur of gossip. Using this technique honors my grandma and is quiet defiance of all those who forbade me from being who I am wholly and authentically. The brooch is embellished by hundreds of tiny beads connected to the acrylic silhouette by a tiny thread. The beads are stitched onto the surface. The thread is what ties this piece together. In a metaphorical sense, there is a narrative thread that connects all of my work and reveals what it means to be me. Cut the threads and it all comes undone."
What connection(s) does your queerness make to the world around you?
“I used to think that being queer made me different. I would look at a heteronormative society and feel excluded. I felt alone and isolated. When I was figuring things out, I would oftentimes try to hide who I was. I was ashamed and embarrassed and told that I was a sinner. I remember thinking that being gay was a death sentence. But the more I worked on learning to love myself and accept myself for who I was, the more I realized how wrong I was. I wasn’t alone… I was part of a vibrant community of those who chose to honor their hearts and spirits and choose life. It wasn’t dirty or shameful, but a celebration of individuality and authenticity. My queerness has helped me be a more kind and compassionate person, someone who wants to help others tell their stories and express themselves. I know far too well what it is like to be told what to do and how to act. My queerness has helped me connect to different aspects of myself that I didn’t think were accessible. I was told that these parts of myself were forbidden and dangerous. But they were expressions of love and intimacy. They were souls seeking connection and feeling part of something bigger and greater than what can be experienced alone."
“Pretty and Pink”, Acrylic, polyester resin, rose quartz, amethyst, moonstone, Swarovski crystal, vintage glass beads, and steel pin back. 2.25” x 3..25” x 1”, 2024Anything else you would like to share about this work? This can be an important part of the process, sourcing materials, or research.
“My work is oftentimes a collection of things that I have found over the years. I save little bits and pieces, sometimes things of intrinsic market value and sometimes things that are not necessarily considered precious or valuable. I like bringing things together and saying, “this is worthy”. I believe that each element helps tell the story and that combined, they are greater than the sum of their parts."