Andrea Sexton Artist, Gemstone Beach, Orepuki, Western Southland, NZ.JPG

Artist Bio

My name is Andrea Sexton and I was born in Invercargill, Southland. I aspired to be an artist as a child. I studied Craft and Design at Art school in Dunedin during the 90’s and went on to Teachers College shortly after a stint of self-employment. I work in both 2-D and 3-D medium, painting, mixed media and soft sculpture and have exhibited in many local group shows since 1992. I am fortunate to have sold a number of works throughout New Zealand and more recently, overseas.

All About Andrea

Currently I am Head of Technology at Aurora College and teach Materials/Fabric Technology to Year 7 to Year 13 students. I love working alongside the young people of Murihiku, encouraging them develop their ideas and build life-long skills and confidence in their abilities. I also regularly run community workshops when time allows. I am married to Mark and have a teenage son, Ben, and three step-daughters and 5 grandchildren.

There is large group of Cupressus Macrocarpa Conifer trees on our lower property in Orepuki. They are stoic, strong with limbs naked and exposed. Presumably planted many, many lifetimes ago to offer shelter to stock from the strong southerly winds. This has resulted in the most incredibly shaped trees, extreme and impressive, much like the dramatic coastline that they reside alongside. These often feature in my work.

Drawing underpins good art practice, I draw to paint, I draw to stitch. I draw on photos, I draw with sticks. These are essentially drawings that may or may not have resulted as finished pieces. I guess I’m best described as a mixed media artist. I play with watercolours, acrylics, pastels, inks and graphite. I like to layer with resin and varnish. I love fabrics, particularly vintage ones with a story to tell. I like to lower the feed dog on an old Bernina (matic) machine, use a darning foot and put my foot full on the throttle, drawing with thread, the needle rhythmically moving at great speed, consuming thread in ridiculous volumes. Colours change as fast as bobbins fill, and it’s during this process that I’m feel an absolute connection with my subject.