Andrew Thornton
he/him
Ligonier, PA, USA
Andrew Thornton was trained at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He currently lives in Ligonier, PA and is a mixed-media artist who works in painting, collage, metalsmithing, and jewelry. He is the co-owner of Allegory Gallery and Star Cottage Studio.
“Throughout all of human history, there has been a fascination with the idea of self. 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 drawn 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. My latest series investigates the way that I see myself and tell my truth and challenges the ideas I was raised with.”
"Golden Daddy", Enameled copper, bronze, gold-plated steel, 3” x 2” x 0.3”, 2023
What does being queer mean to you in relation to your material choices? Is it something you consider?
“When I think about being queer, I think of being slightly different. This was a message that was communicated to me since childhood. I felt different. When I approach materials, I also think of things differently. While I dearly love to use precious materials, I also like to use materials that will best address the question that my artwork proposes. For instance, in the piece, ‘Red Market’, I use braided plastic grocery bags. This isn't a common material used in jewelry-making. But it does represent the commodification that exists when we put ourselves out there. We're selling an image that we create. I also use materials that are oftentimes thought of as worthless and give them new life and make them precious. I felt like that for a long time. When you chase after the expectations of others instead of finding validation from within, there's this dangerous game of never being good enough. For most of the first half of my life, I didn't love myself or know my own self worth. Once I embraced who I was, I could take the broken things and the things that hurt and make them beautiful. I had the power to give meaning and value."
"Transformation", Wood, cut paper, steel pin back, metallic and color shift paint, and iridescent pigments, 2” x 3” x .4”, 2024
Is the work queer because the maker is queer, or is it queer because the subject matter is queer?
“I feel like everything that I make is queer. I feel like the role of the artist is to chronicle the world around them and synthesize it in a way that is unique to them because it is shaped by their life experiences. Artists may have the exact same subject matter, but because of their life experiences and how they see the world, it'll be vastly different and personal. I think there's something beautiful about the uniqueness and individuality of how artists create, whether they identify as queer or not. But I definitely feel like my work is queer because I am queer. In the piece, ‘Golden Daddy’ there's commentary on the ‘daddy culture’ in the gay world, fetishization, and Race. Even though it's lovely and golden, there is also a rawness. That rawness comes from the prevalent internalized homophobia in certain queer communities and overt racism. A lot of times the queer community is represented as a place of inclusivity and love... which it can be... but just like with everything, there are pockets that are not so friendly. I think this piece speaks directly about the experience of being a gay person of color that is unique to my queerness."
"Red Market", Braided plastic grocery bags, wood, and steel, 2" x .5" x 18", 2023
Anything else you would like to share about this work? This can be an important part of the process, sourcing materials, or research.
“My self-portrait series not only explores identity through narrative elements, but also through material and technique. It's important for me to use this form language to better understand myself and my role as an artist and maker. I feel like there's something wonderful about how even though the outline is the same, what is inside makes it different and unique. Just like in life, I do tests and experiments to see if what I am doing works. Sometimes this can make the work seem disjointed, but I feel like there's a common thread that runs through everything and connects disparate pieces that might otherwise seem unrelated. I also draw upon narrative elements which are commonly understood and make the pieces accessible. Whether or not one is aware of the relationships, I think they can be felt. For example, a fairytale like Rumplestiltskin has the protagonist spinning straw into gold. In ‘Red Market’, I am taking a material that is oftentimes thrown away and using a knot braiding technique to transform it and elevate it. As a child we had a woven hot pad for dishes during family meals. These looked very similar to how the finished piece turned out and the sense memory continues."