My name is Andrea Cheek and I am an artist who focuses on graphic design, illustration, and textile work. I aim to spark positive changes in the world with my work. I am very flexible and capable of getting tasks completed on time with well-crafted results. I was born and raised in Siler City, North Carolina as the youngest in a family of five. Growing up in a small town with a large family and not a lot of money plays a significant part in my work as an artist. My race and cultural background also play an important role in my artwork. I am mixed with Native American, White, and Black and identify as a mixed person. A struggle that comes along with being mixed is the overwhelming feeling of not belonging and being looked over. This really makes me strive to create work that will be seen and taken notice of. I create layouts that are sprinkled with my identity in hopes of showing the world more work from mixed artists. I also hope I can help other mixed people feel seen and accepted when viewing my art. I want my work to shine a light on those looked over; I push for acceptance of all by all through my work. Ultimately, I want to make the world a nicer place to live in. The world can be a sad place and I want to do what I can to add a bit more happiness where I can. Visually my work puts emphasis on activated negative space that is used to enhance viewers' interaction with the piece. I also utilize unique bold color combinations and high contrast through hue, sizing, and content. It is also common to find playful icons and forms throughout my work. With my work, I really want to display happiness. I want to be responsible for creating something that brightens someone's day, even just a little. Spreading positivity in my own way while educating others on matters I feel are important is a huge reason why I create in the first place. The process of creating means a lot to me. Creating something with my own hands gives me a power I have never had before, and I never take that for granted. I spend a lot of time researching the subject matter that I handle in all my work to do everything in my power to accurately portray the things that I talk about. Time spent sketching and exploring different layouts has proven to be an extremely important part of my art process. Taking time to see different ways to say the same thing helps me create the strongest pieces I can, so really going through multiple ideas is a necessity for me. I want to create art that I wish I would have seen when I was younger, that I could really relate to. I hope to continue to create work that means something to me and inspires others who need it.
