About
My name is Andrew Demma and I'm a 28 year old multimedia artist living in Anchorage, Alaska. I create artwork using graphite, ink, acrylic paint, block printing, and digital illustration. Across these mediums, my work employs graphic shapes and dramatic contrast, offset by familiar settings and textures to ground my scenes in reality.
Due to a childhood fascination with animals, scientific illustration was one of my earliest style influences. I began to learn about the structural anatomy of animals as a child, with my dad's skull collection and a couple of borrowed Audubon Society field guides. In middle school, drawing technique books and internet tutorials served as the foundation for my self-driven early education on drawing fundamentals. My focus on wildlife illustration soon expanded to include human subjects, and I began to practice drawing the figure, face, and facial expressions. In high school, I was first introduced to linear perspective, which aided in creating my first full compositions. College further developed my goal of building a portfolio of illustrations, and provided me opportunities to present my art for critique.
After losing the structure of a classroom setting, I found myself struggling to come up with ideas, leading to a departure from my previous pursuit of rendering a subject realistically. I turned to the media that had originally inspired me to draw: 2D animated shows and movies, psychological thrillers and character-driven stories, and emotive music. My priorities shifted; instead of mimicking reality with anatomical accuracy, I now intend to use artwork as a medium of communication.
This new creative direction has encouraged me to strive toward narrative driven art; to depict dynamics between characters instead of static figures, and illustrate situations where before I would simply represent a place. I am studying writing and story structure in the interest of developing larger, more cohesive bodies of work. In addition, I am experimenting by placing emphasis on body language and facial expression in my visual work.
I aim to build images that resonate emotionally with my audience, and eventually hope to illustrate narrative projects, or even someday to publish my own.
Group Exhibitions
UAA Hugh McPeck Gallery || Foundations
May 2018 | Anchorage, AKA professor-selected group show, comprised of artwork by 300-400 level students.
Anchorage Community House || Inkventure
October 2019 | Anchorage, AKA selection of ink based artwork by myself and Brandon Moore.
Blaines Art Supply || Staff Show
January 2023 | Anchorage, AKGroup show featuring artwork by staff.
IGCA || State Proof
January 2024 | Anchorage, AKState Proof was a juried exhibition showcasing Alaskan printmakers at the International Gallery of Contemporary Art in downtwn Anchorage, AK. More information and photos can be found on IGCA's website here.
Dos Manos Gallery || Dos Manos Staff Show
July 5, 2024 - July 31, 2024 | Anchorage, AKGroup show featuring a selection of artwork by gallery staff.
Solo Exhibitions
Blaines Art Supply
September 2022 | Anchorage, AKMy first solo exhibition; a collection of graphite, ink drawings, lino prints, and acrylic paintings.