I am a painter and a printmaker, and the two disciplines are intertwined in my brain and my process. My work is influenced by the lines, shapes & patterns I encounter in the world around me, and I most often find those elements in landscape, architecture or plants. This information might translate into precise geometric shapes, a dance of gestural marks, a quiet, moody horizon, or the intricate details of a local plant.
Within each piece, I explore contrasts of light & shadow, transparency & opacity, concealing & revealing. I’m especially interested in layering thin films of translucent pigment, and I delight when these intersections build richer, more complex colors where they cross.
My acrylic botanical monotypes are created using layers and textures that are organic and somewhat unpredictable. There’s a lot of experimentation in printmaking, and no two pieces are ever alike.
I’ve learned to manipulate my materials to produce crisp silhouettes, textural details or a time-worn patina, depending on my mood and goals. The plants I favor are resilient and determined – thick clumps of long grass, random weeds growing on gravelly roadsides and wildflowers that remind me of simpler times.
The colors I choose are largely unrelated to the natural color of the plants, so the pieces feel both modern & traditional. The results are uniquely contemporary.
Artist Bio
A native of Northern Virginia with an engineering background, Andrea Cybyk worked in the software industry, studied painting and printmaking along the way, and eventually left the corporate world to paint full-time. Raised in the contemporary home that her parents designed and built themselves, she comes from a family of technical creatives and fiercely stubborn DIYers.
Andrea has exhibited widely in the DC/MD/VA area with solo shows at The Art League Gallery, Artists & Makers, Metro Micro Gallery, Cooley Gallery, HNTB Architecture and more. Her work has been in countless juried and group shows and is included in the DC Art Bank program. She belongs to the Art League Gallery, Van Landingham Gallery, Torpedo Factory Artists Association and the Vale Arts Group. Andrea runs an exhibit program for 868 Estate Vineyards in Loudoun County and occasionally teaches gel printing workshops.