If you pick up a copy of the VIE Magazine November 2017 "Art & Culture" issue, you'll probably recognize the art on the cover! It's Andy's Poetic Composition, which is assemblage art measuring 26x48 inches. We are so thankful and honored to have been chosen to represent this issue. Tori Phelps wrote a wonderful 6-page article about Andy, which we feel really captures the heart of who he is and what he does. And Brenna Kneiss' photos are beautiful! Thank you so much, ladies. We really appreciate it! The magazine is on newsstands now, so be sure to grab a copy. You may also read the article here.
Last week, Andy participated in the Harding Art Show 2017. This was his fourth time to do this show, now in its 42nd year. This is Harding Academy's biggest fundraiser, and it attracts over 3000 visitors. We were honored to have Andy included again! Plus, it was a great excuse to visit our daughter, who now lives just outside Nashville. Below are some of our artist friends, both new and old.
Andy Saczynski
Amber Wallace
Amy Crews
Blaire Wheeler
Brian Nash
Caleb Groh
Cassi Wright + her boyfriend
Christina Cohn
Grant Garmezy
Hannah Lane + her husband
Jacqueline Saporiti
Kent Youngstrom + his daughter
Lauren Dunn
McKenzie Dove
Melanie Morris
Sarah Kaufman
Valentina Harper
Vicki Denaburg
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...
- antique luggage
- antique egg beater
- old vise grip
- door lock
- parts of one of Andy's "tree easels"
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.
original painting by Andy Saczynski
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!
I could surely think of many more, but I've narrowed it down to my top 7 reasons to buy original art. I've also included photos from some of Andy's past customers.
#1 - Show Your Personality - What does your art say about you? Are you serious or playful? Fancy or fun? Does your art communicate a memory or emotion? Art is a great tool to show your personality throughout your home.
#2 - Share a Story - Every piece of art has a story behind it, which is why many people connect with art on a personal level. This can be a special reminder for yourself, or a conversation starter with guests.
#3 - Choose the Size - Perhaps you have specific size limitations... no problem! When you buy art directly from an artist, you can request a custom size to fit your space perfectly.
#4 - Select Your Colors - When you buy art directly from an artist, you can also request your color palette. Many times, we have a customer or their decorator provide us with paint and/or fabric samples so their art truly has a custom look.
#5 - Own a One-of-a-Kind - Pieces of original art can be similar, but never duplicated. When you own original art, you can be sure that no one else in the world has exactly the same piece.
#6 - Grow Your Collection - Sadly, we've had a few family members pass away this year. From our personal experience, most things don't have much sentimental value. However, original artwork and family photographs are certainly items that are cherished. Not only can you enjoy your original art, but your loved ones will also appreciate your collection for generations to come.
#7 - Support an Artist - Those who create are a special gift to society. Whether their medium is art, music, or design, supporting these creative people enables them to continue making beautiful things for all of us to enjoy.
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:
- Young octopuses learn almost no behaviors from their parents. Why? Dads die shortly after mating, and moms die within weeks or months after their eggs hatch.
- The typical life span of an octopus is between 3–5 years.
- They are highly intelligent. Maze and problem-solving experiments have shown evidence of a memory system that can store both short- and long-term memory.
- They have soft bodies, with no internal or external skeleton, so they can squeeze into impossibly small cracks and crevices.
- Though octopuses can be difficult to keep in captivity, some people keep them as pets. They often escape even from supposedly secure tanks, due to their problem-solving skills, mobility, and lack of rigid structure.
- Mimic octopuses are capable of changing their body shape to mimic other animals.
- Octopuses have four pairs of arms. If they lose an arm to escape a predator's grasp, they can re-grow it later with no permanent damage.
- All octopuses are venomous, but only the small blue-ringed octopuses are known to be deadly to humans.
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.
Andy surfing in South Walton
While the kids and I drove across the country, Andy had several days to himself. Lucky for him, Tropical Storm Colin formed on June 5th, creating fabulous South Walton surfing conditions. On more than one occasion, Andy met our friend Chris Taylor at the beach with a camera and a drone to capture some good shots. Here's one of the photos Chris took, plus a video:
I've been wanting our family to visit the Colorado mountains since 1997, but we kept having kids and the years kept disappearing. Finally, back in February, I decided this was the year we would finally take our Colorado vacation, even if it meant driving across the country. I said that it would either be the best vacation ever or a total disaster. I'm happy to report that it was AWESOME and we will definitely be doing it again. We began our 16-day adventure on June 3rd. I traveled by SUV with our kids (ages 19, 14, 8, 7, and 5). I knew a road trip of this magnitude would only be doable if we traveled at a leisurely pace and did fun things along the way (for example, Hamilton Pool Preserve and Palo Duro Canyon). Andy isn't a fan of road trips, plus this is the busiest time of year at his gallery. We agreed it wasn't a good time of year for him to be away from the gallery for two full weeks, so he flew to Colorado and we picked him up. This allowed the kids and I to visit family and friends along the way.
We arrived in Colorado on June 8th. We spent the first four days in Estes Park. Our rental house was only a few minutes from the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park. My two brothers (Rich and Ben) and my brother's wife (Ran) stayed in the same house. Their dad (Richard) and his wife (Caroline) stayed nearby. I guess you could say it was a family reunion!
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited. We explored the park June 9th, 10th, and 11th. I would definitely recommend weekdays, because it's much more crowded on the weekends. On June 9th, we hiked to Nymph Lake and Dream Lake. Half our group continued on to Emerald Lake, but Andy and I kept the little boys at Dream Lake so they could play in the snow.
Rocky Mountain National Park
our family in Rocky Mountain National Park
Nathan + Taylor (our two oldest kids)
our family
Dream Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park
Jonah
Josiah + Andy
On June 10th, we hiked to Bear Lake, Glacier Gorge, and Alberta Falls.
How do you like Andy's hiking clothes? Ha ha!
Rocky Mountain National Park - Glacier Gorge
Jonah
Noah
cute chipmunk
Andy, Noah, Josiah, and my brother Ben
Moraine Park in Rocky Mountain National Park
Nathan
Richard, my brother Rich, my brother Ben, and me
elk in Estes Park
After lunch on June 10th, we drove up Trail Ridge Road. If you've never done it, add it to your bucket list. The views are incredible!
Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park (rainbow curve)
our family on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park (rainbow curve overlook)
Trail Ridge Road - alpine tundra (the cars look tiny)
Trail Ridge Road - alpine tundra (we were impressed by the snow)
Rocky Mountain National Park sunset over mountains
Taylor in Rocky Mountain National Park
Andy
my brother Rich and his wife Ran Cui in Rocky Mountain National Park
Taylor and the elk in Rocky Mountain National Park
On June 11th, despite the weekend crowds, we headed back up Trail Ridge Road in an attempt to find the perfect sledding spot. Sadly, we weren't able to find a good place for sledding. Either it wasn't steep enough, or there was a cliff at the end. We decided flying off a cliff would ruin our family vacation. Not worth the risk!
Rocky Mountain National Park - Trail Ridge Road
On June 12th, we left Estes Park and headed south to Colorado Springs. As soon as we drove into town, we made a stop at Garden of the Gods.
Garden of the Gods - Andy + me
visiting with friends: Blake, Brian, Melissa, Michael, + Michelle
One June 13th, we drove up Pikes Peak. I had considered taking the Pikes Peak Cog Railway so the boys could experience a train ride, but it was sold out. If this is something you want to do, I'd recommend reserving your spot way in advance.
Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak (I almost had a heart attack driving up)
Pikes Peak (I wasn't a fan of Nathan walking this close to the edge)
Pikes Peak 2016
Pikes Peak 1994
visiting with friends: Michelle, Michael, Jim, + Beth
Andy flew home on June 14th, and the kids I made our way back to Florida via SUV. After stopping in Wichita Falls, Carthage, and New Orleans to visit family and friends, we finally got home the evening of June 18th. So, we survived our first major (4031 miles) family road trip! Not only did we survive it, our Colorado vacation was even better than expected, and I'm already thinking about our next destination. Long story short... A+ adventure, will definitely do it again, very enjoyable, would highly recommend, deep gratitude for the family and friends who made it possible.