Artist Profile

Roxanne Ando

Roxanne Ando
Roxanne Ando
Chinese water color, collage mixed media
Silver Spring, MD
Biography

Roxanne Ando began Chinese brush painting as a way of connecting to her Asian heritage.  She has studied with local Chinese painters, Helen Sze McCarthy, Freda Lee McCann, and Peihua (Nicki) Chiang.  The zen of brush painting---from learning about brushes, paint and water; to making paste; to wet mounting the pictures---has a distinctively Asian flavor. What I love about it are its contrasts:  it involves both process and product, requiring control and freedom, technique and inspiration, black and white versus color. Learning to paint in this style has renewed my love of flowers, gardening, and nature.   More recently I have taken up collage mixed media.  In many ways it's the opposite of my Chinese brush painting practice, requiring spontaneity, unpredictability, use of acrylics and all kinds of found objects.