About

Bio

Joanne Andrews is the artist and owner of Carte Terra Designs. She has been a potter, a middle school art teacher and is now focused on creating hand-made, one-of-a-kind notecards and framed cut paper collages using post consumer materials. She also creates sculptural artwork and installations that explore issues that she is passionate about such as the environment, migration and civil rights. She is inspired by her garden, her community and the natural world and loves to travel and backpack in the wilderness. She lives with her partner Katherine in Durham, NC.

Artist Statement

Materials and content are driving forces in my art.  I have worked with many different materials as an artist. In past lives I have been a painter and a potter. I have dabbled in mosaics and murals, printmaking and stained glass. I now work primarily with paper. Paper has the capacity for both two and three dimensional work, it is paintable, shapeable, easy to cut and manipulate while still having considerable strength. Paper is lightweight, easy to transport and is archival. Most importantly to me- the paper that I use is environmentally low impact. I source the majority of my materials; paper, paint, adhesives, envelopes, from The Scrap Exchange in Durham NC. The Scrap Exchange is a creative reuse warehouse that diverts millions of pounds of material from the waste stream each year.  Instead of creating new demand for art materials by buying new supplies, I make use of "post consumer" materials. I also search for materials in other places- folks are always getting rid of useful supplies! If I do need to purchase a material new, I research and make every effort to find the most environmentally low impact option. I am also exploring creating handmade paper using materials from my garden.

It is important and necessary to me that the materials I use reflect the mission of my work. I am tremendously concerned with the depletion of the earth's natural resources as a result of the growth model of consumerism. I create one of a kind work that is designed to connect people to the natural world by using materials that treat that world with respect and gentleness. I believe in living with "enough" and being resourceful and careful with materials.

My collages are bright and colorful, and I try to capture the essence of my subjects in a few bold shapes. With my notecards,  I work directly with an exact-o knife, I don't draw first. Sometimes I use scraps, sometimes I tear the paper. I move quickly to keep the image fresh. Years of teaching middle school art taught me how to create quickly and efficiently! With my larger, framed collages I am able to slow down and build up a surface that is rich and textured, but I still work responsively and directly with color and shape. Most of my subject matter is inspired by my garden, my travels and the natural world.

Info

Joanne Andrews

Durham,NC

carteterradesigns at gmail.com