Read through these posts for announcements, a closer look at some of Andy's work, and a peek into his personal life. Looking for something specific? Use the search bar.
Check out this custom snowboarder art Andy just finished! A family gave Andy a photo of their daughter in Park City, Utah. They said they wanted a mixed media piece based on this photo. Luckily, a friend had donated an old snowboard to Andy awhile back. Lucky coincidence, huh?
This life-size piece is 37 inches wide (with the board), and 63 inches tall. The Chicago Blackhawks logo is attached to a record player and still has the ability to spin. Pretty fun piece!
Andy's most recent assemblage art is a mahi mahi mixed media piece. In addition to layered wood and house paint, a few unusual and unexpected found objects were included. If you take a closer look, you'll find items such as...
This is one piece you definitely need to see in person to fully appreciate. Come by Andy's Grayton Beach gallery during regular business hours (weekdays 10 AM - 5 PM or Saturdays by appointment).
Join us on April 7th, 5:30-9:30 PM, at Destiny Worship Center for LIVING LOVED with guest speaker Lysa TerKeurst! $10 raffle tickets may be purchased at the event with an opportunity to win this original painting valued at $1800. Winner will be announced at 9:30 PM. Proceeds will go to local pregnancy support and adoption support via Bethany Christian Services on Florida’s Emerald Coast.
It's hard to see everything that's happening in Andy's assemblage art pieces when I take a straight-on photo with the camera. So, sometimes I like to take photos from different angles so you can tell how many layers and what sort of objects each piece includes. This post highlights three of his mixed media assemblage pieces.
Napoleon the 2nd contains layered wood, metal scraps, keys, and other found objects. He resides at The Bay, one of our favorite restaurants in South Walton. You can see him proudly displayed in their private dining room.
Anglerfish contains layered wood, a functional light bulb, a crutch, piano keys, pipe organ parts, a paintbrush, metal, parts of a Christmas tree stand, and other found objects.
The Professor contains layered wood, scrap metal, a toy airplane, lawn tools, a record, piano keys, pipe organ parts, and other found objects. He was recently the guest of honor at South Walton High School.
Andy as a high school senior and Andy now
Yesterday Andy and I visited the South Walton High School art department. Their instructor, Dr. Vivian Komando, was Andy's art teacher many years ago at Niceville High School. We have kept in touch, and she recently asked us if we'd be willing to speak to her AP and Pre AP art students.
If you read this blog post and/or this article in VIE Magazine, you know how influential Dr. Komando was in Andy's life. Much of what she taught him, he still uses every day. So, we were happy to visit her classroom and share with her students about life as an artist.
Andy told them about what inspires him and what kind of materials he likes to use. We showed them examples of his work on his web site, and he brought one original so they could see how he creates mixed media assemblage pieces.
Since I handle the business aspect of his gallery, I spoke to the students about how to have a career in art. I provided them with 12 important steps, information I wish someone had handed us when Andy was their age.
Hopefully we inspired these young creative minds. We want them to know how their unique talent is valued in the world. We want to see artists thrive.
When people first meet Andy and find out he's an artist, their first question is usually, "What kind of art do you make?" And we usually reply, "It's easier for us to show you rather than tell you." His work is loosely called mixed media art, but that term is so broad. Mixed media art refers to a work of visual art that combines various traditionally distinct visual art media. More specifically, his work can be described as assemblage art, or sculptures that can be hung on a wall. This post highlights some of Andy's most recent mixed media art. The pieces can be as simple as layered wood. Or they can include objects such as scrap metal, antique kitchen appliances, deconstructed musical instruments, and working light bulbs. What might look like worthless junk to some people, Andy can manipulate and connect in impressive ways. For example, can you tell what objects were used in the four faces (masks) below?
And what about these three saltwater animals - an anglerfish, an alligator, and a sailfish?
If you're interested in purchasing any of these unique pieces, call Andy at (850) 502-0072.
Happy New Year! Andy's art gallery moved into Shops of Grayton in March 2015. I can't believe we've been in our little blue cottage almost two years! We are so thankful to have this space for Andy to create and share his work. He started pursuing art as a full-time career seven years ago and opened his first gallery five years ago. In this way, 2017 feels significant to me. I'm looking forward to what this year will bring. We wanted to share some of what's been going on lately at Andy's art gallery. Although you usually hear from me (his wife) on his blog, in this post you'll hear directly from Andy...
What do you usually listen to while painting? I always listen to Pandora on shuffle. Some of the random artists I like are John Coltrane, Soulive, The Sea and Cake, Groundation, Brent Berry Band, ALO, Galactic, The New Master Sounds, and Jimi Hendrix. The list goes on, but that's what has been in my shuffle most recently.
How long does it take to complete a piece of your art? It always varies based on the complexity of a piece. Some stuff I begin months, even years, ahead and then put it aside for awhile. A lot of the sculptural assemblage pieces tend to take longer. I have between three and seven pieces going at once.
What do you think influences your work the most? Over the past few years, I have settled into my own style. I can't think of anything specific that influences my work. It's more like my art is an extension of me. It's a form of communication... an inward feeling and an outward expression.
What have you been working on most recently? I ended 2016 and began 2017 with some figurative paintings (seen below).
To purchase any of these pieces, call Andy at (850) 502-0072 or stop by his gallery during regular business hours.
It's been almost seven years since Andy started to pursue art as a full-time career, but he was an artist long before 2010! He fell in love with drawing way back in elementary school and never stopped creating.
Andy in 1985
Below are a few of Andy Saczynski's earliest works.
Andy painted this colorful piece in 1993 while he was in 10th grade at Niceville High School. According to Andy, this is the piece that changed his life. His teacher was Mrs. Vivian Komando, and he credits her with teaching him how to paint a smooth line. It's a technique he still uses in all of his pieces today.
Andy in 1995
Based off a photo he took while we were in Colorado, this was the first piece Andy painted while he was a student at Okaloosa Walton Community College (Painting 1 in Fall 1995). He attended the college on a fine arts scholarship, and took four art classes under the teaching of the late Arnie Hart, including Painting 1 & 2 and Drawing 1 & 2. Hart taught at the college from 1966 until his untimely death in 1999. His wife Jean and several friends established the Arnie Hart Art Scholarship Endowment in his memory to honor his longtime devotion to his students. Andy feels fortunate to have learned from such an incredible teacher. During his Drawing 1 class (Fall 1995), Andy had an opportunity to complete two 20-minute sketches of Mr. Hart, as you see below (unfortunately, something spilled on one of them).
Also in the fall of 1995, Andy drew this face during his free time, which he named Split Personality.
In the spring of 1997, Andy took 2D Design with Lynn Rackley at OWCC. Here are two of the paper collages Andy completed while in her class.
Much of what Andy learned in both his high school and college art classes set the foundation for him. Since leaving OWCC in 1997, he has been self-taught.
National Cat Day was founded in 2005 and is celebrated every year on October 29th. This "holiday" seems like the perfect time to introduce you to Mr. Hill and his girlfriend Blackie (no, I didn't name either of them).
Over the years, we've spotted quite a few feral cats hanging out around Shops of Grayton and Mystic Porte. Most of the them are shy around humans, so you can only see them from a distance. However, Mr. Hill is friendly and loves people.
You can usually find Mr. Hill relaxing in the shade near Andy's art gallery and the other cottages. He gladly accepts petting and sweet talk, and shows his appreciation by purring.
Earlier this year, Mr. Hill got friendly with another feral cat, and she appears to now be his girlfriend. Blackie is very shy. She's only let me pet her once! A couple weeks ago we were open late and had the doors propped open to enjoy the breeze. Mr. Hill walked right into the gallery, with his girlfriend following. She immediately got scared and walked right back out, so he followed her after saying hello to everyone.
Next time you visit Shops of Grayton, be on the lookout for Mr. Hill. Be sure to tell him he's handsome and scratch behind his ears!
If you've followed Andy for the last year or so, you've probably seen several of his octopus paintings. His octopus art has been pretty popular, so he usually has at least one original piece in stock, in addition to 11x17-inch octopus prints. Right now he has three pieces of octopus artwork available, with each style being quite different:
If you are interested in purchasing one of Andy's octopus paintings, call him at (850) 502-0072.
Cool facts about octopuses:
45 Central Wine Bar is located in the heart of Seaside. Award-winning chef and owner, Jim Shirley, has succeeded once again in creating an atmosphere and menu that, in our opinion, sets the bar for South Walton. We absolutely love his other two restaurants, Great Southern Cafe and The Bay, which are popular with both locals and tourists. When Andy was asked to be 45 Central's Artist of the Month for September, we happily agreed. The artist reception was held today, 4:00-6:00 PM. The Weather Channel had caused a slight panic regarding Hurricane Hermine traveling through the Gulf of Mexico, so we were a bit concerned that the artist reception would be a bust. Thankfully, the rain stopped and we had several people make an appearance. If you missed the artist reception, no worries! Andy's art will be displayed at 45 Central throughout the month of September.
Andy with Jim Shirley
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." (Proverbs 18:21 KJV) "Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit — you choose." (Proverbs 18:21 MSG)
Proverbs 18:21 is the verse that inspired this piece.
Have you noticed the media the past few years? It seems like nearly every story showcases hate, anger, and violence. I'm not here to add to that noise. In fact, it's no coincidence that this piece includes a "noise suppressor."
I can tell you this... The reality that I see when I look around does not line up with the world the media tries to paint. I'm not suggesting that bad things aren't happening around our country and the world. But I do think there's more good than bad, despite the media's best efforts to convince us otherwise.
It's also no coincidence that this piece is named Victor. A victor is a person who defeats an enemy or opponent. But who's the real enemy? Is it really each other? I don't think so. And are we using our words to kill or give life? Victor knows that death and life are in the power of the tongue, so he's using his tongue to speak life by speaking love.
Victor measures 38x69 inches and is available for $1500. To purchase, call or text Andy at (850) 502-0072.
Since opening on June 15, 2015, LuLu's Destin has been a popular hangout for both locals and tourists. LuLu's is located at 4607 Legendary Marina Drive, by the foot of the Mid-Bay Bridge. The bayfront property features both indoor and outdoor seating, live music, outdoor entertainment for kids, and a place for boat "parking" for those arriving via water. It's a great place to hang out with your family and relax while watching the sunset. In late July, Andy was featured on 30A Live (watch the clip). The interview caught the attention of LuLu's and, long story short, they decided to purchase a piece of Andy's art to display in their restaurant. They did request one tiny change to the piece to add the LuLu's touch... If you see it now, it'll say GUMBO LOVE instead of AGAVE. The restaurant hopes to add more local art to their collection as time goes on. Andy and I are excited that he was the first to be included!
Next time you visit LuLu's Destin, look for Andy's art behind the stage. If you want to show the [gumbo] love, post a photo to Facebook and/or Instagram, and be sure to tag both Andy and LuLu's!
For the past several months, 30A has been taking advantage of Facebook's live video feature to promote various places and things along Scenic 30A and in South Walton. 30A Live gives viewers an opportunity to interact with locals and explore 30A from the comfort of their home. Perhaps 30A Live is the next best thing to actually being here?! Some of the 30A Live broadcasts have included tours of local art galleries, where viewers can watch the artists work in their studios. On July 26th, 30A's summer intern Caroline interviewed Andy at his gallery in Grayton Beach. The 32-minute live broadcast was streamed via 30A's Facebook page. Viewers were able to ask questions and enjoy an interactive experience. Many of the questions were great ("If we come to his studio, can we watch him at work, as he paints & creates?"), while some were silly ("If he were a pokemon which pokemon would he be?").
If you missed the live stream, you can still watch it online.
30A Live: Andy with Caroline Giddis
For the past several years, some of Andy's most popular pieces are his assemblage alligator art. He uses recycled and re-purposed materials to create mixed media assemblage art.
Let me introduce you to Herbie, Andy's recently completed piece. Herbie is 102 inches wide and 30 inches tall, making him almost the size of a real adult alligator. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, female alligators rarely exceed 9 feet in length, but males can grow much larger. The Florida state record for length is a 14 foot 3-1/2 inch male from Lake Washington in Brevard County. The Florida record for weight is a 1,043 pound (13 feet 10-1/2 inches long) male from Orange Lake in Alachua County. The alligator became the official state reptile of Florida in 1987, when Andy was 10 years old. According to Visit Florida, the #1 question tourists ask is where they should stay. The #2 question is where they can see an alligator.
American alligators are found in the southeast United States: all of Florida and Louisiana, the southern parts of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, coastal South and North Carolina, Eastern Texas, the southeast corner of Oklahoma, and the southern tip of Arkansas. They live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers, lakes, and swamps, as well as in brackish environments. They may live to about 50 years in the wild.
Alligators are opportunistic feeders. Their diets include prey species that are abundant and easily accessible. Juvenile alligators eat primarily insects, amphibians, small fish, and other invertebrates. Adult alligators eat rough fish, snakes, turtles, small mammals, and birds. After it is four feet long, an alligator is safe from predators except humans and occasionally other alligators. That’s right, alligators display cannibalistic behavior.
This piece of assemblage alligator art is available for $1800. Materials used include reclaimed wood, a pot lid, piano keys, house keys, miscellaneous hardware, and found objects. To purchase Herbie, call or text Andy at (850) 502-0072.
Almost three years ago (September 2013), Andy was asked to paint a "Grayton Beach Drive Five" sign, which was going to be posted at the beach access. Sure, they could have used your standard "5 MPH" sign. But this is Grayton Beach, where creativity and fun set the mood! Apparently permitting and whatnot took awhile, but the sign was finally installed, just in time for the summer! Unless you're a local resident, you might not realize that you need a permit to drive on the beach. Even if you're not lucky enough to have a permit, you can still walk down the sand path. So next time you're in the area, grab a meal at one of the two best restaurants in South Walton (The Red Bar or Chiringo), then take a walk down to the water. If you find Andy's sign, post a photo on Facebook or Instagram, and tag Andy to let him know you found it!
Learn more about Grayton Beach, one of our favorite South Walton beach communities:
Andy and I recently traveled to Nashville for the Harding Art Show 2016, which was held May 5th-7th. This show is older than we are, celebrating their 41st year. This was Andy's third year to have a booth. Since we travel without our kids, it's a nice little getaway for us.
We got to see a few friends, which is always nice. We met David and Jennifer for lunch by Opryland. Her dad was the pastor of our church in Jacksonville, but now they all live in Tennessee. Jennifer and her dad started the Kore Foundation, which establishes sustainable solutions to extreme poverty in Haiti.
us with Jennifer + David
We also visited with Chelsea and her son Smith. I worked with Chelsea at a restaurant when I was in college and she was in high school. Her husband is in the band Safety Suit.
me with Chelsea + Smith
Andy and I didn't have much free time, but we did manage to walk around our two favorite neighborhoods in the Nashville area: 12 South and Franklin. A trip to 12 South obviously included a stop at Jeni's for ice cream. I got roasted strawberry buttermilk, brown butter almond brittle, and brambleberry crisp - it was just as heavenly as you'd expect. And the weather was perfect for a stroll through picturesque Franklin.
Jeni's ice cream
historic Franklin
The Harding Art Show was held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Andy's booth was full of awesomeness. His life-size Johnny Cash piece got the most attention. Much to everyone's disappointment, it had already been sold months earlier and was only there for display purposes.
Andy
Andy's Johnny Cash piece
us
This year's show featured 70 artists. Below I've highlighted some of my favorites.
Amber Wallace
Sarah Kaufman
Deann Hebert
Liza Snyder
Kent Youngstrom
Kent Ambler
Lauren Dunn
Grant Garmezy
Alex Beard
Carrie Penley
Jacqueline Saporiti
Omari Booker
Bebo (John Paul Daniel)
Emily Ozier
Christina Cohn
Andy has made several pieces of contemporary biblical art over the past few years. This post highlights five recent pieces, four of which are available for purchase. Read more about what inspired these pieces below.
Andy painted this piece after hearing our friend John Bevere give a talk about his book, Good or God. Andy's painting was inspired by the following two verses:
"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." (Genesis 3:6)
"There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death." (Proverbs 14:12)
The general idea behind John Bevere's book is this: These days the terms good and God seem synonymous. We believe what’s generally accepted as good must be in line with God’s will. Generosity, humility, justice―good. Selfishness, arrogance, cruelty―evil. The distinction seems pretty straightforward. But is that all there is to it? If good is so obvious, why does the Bible say that we need discernment to recognize it?
You'll notice that in Andy's painting, Eve has a dove by one hand and the apple by the other. The apple seemed good to her because she was deceived. The dove represents the Holy Spirit, which gives us discernment to know what is truly good.
visiting with John Bevere
This piece also depicts the story from Genesis, but includes both Eve and Adam. It's actually a diptych and is sold as a set. Did Adam have a beard? I don't know, but you've probably noticed that Andy adds a beard to most men that he paints, which is perhaps a reflection of himself. Watermelon and pineapple are Andy's favorite fruits, so they both make an appearance. I also like the flowers in Eve's hair. As for the rings around Eve's arm... are they bracelets or the serpent? Andy left that intentionally ambiguous.
Andy's pieces inspired by Jonah and the whale have been almost as popular as his Western Lake pieces. Although the whale pieces vary in size and color palette, the prayer in Jonah 2 is always included. Several people have commented on how this piece touched their heart. I think a lot of people can relate to the story of calling out to the Lord in despair and being rescued by Him.
This piece was inspired by the woman who knew if she could simply touch Jesus, she would be healed. “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
Andy apparently had a pretty wild dream about the end of the world, and when he woke up he started painting this piece. It's a fictitious city that he named Nashvegas for no particular reason. While it's not necessarily a "biblical" piece, I love the details in it (Soul Train, Old School, etc).
If you're a fan of Andy's contemporary biblical art and would like to purchase one of these pieces, call him at (850) 502-0072.
Since September 2015, Andy has created six pieces of pelican assemblage art. These mixed media pieces include elements such as layered wood, ceiling fan parts, spoons, skateboard parts, paintbrushes, and more. Some were created for fun, while other pieces were made on commission. Some pelicans stayed locally, while some traveled all over the country. All of these pelicans have sold, but Andy would love to make more. Contact him at (850) 502-0072 to discuss a commission.
On Easter Sunday, Destiny Worship Center played a video during the service while our worship leader, Nate Kelly, sang "No Longer Slaves" by Bethel Music ("No Longer Slaves" is available on iTunes). The video, which was filmed and produced by Nate's brother, Jonathan Kelly, featured Andy on the beach collecting miscellaneous items and... well, I don't want to give it all away, so you should watch the video at the bottom of this post. I love how it turned out! It was totally worth Andy meeting them at the beach at sunrise to film it.
Andy's sketch
our boys modeling the shirts
(sorry, these t-shirts are sold out)
Easter video with Andy for Destiny Worship Center