ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Andrew Van DeGoede was born in Washington State and grew up on the waterways of the Puget Sound surrounded by the natural beauty of towering mountains and opulent forests. It's no surprise that such beauty would prompt a desire to not only capture it, but also to understand it, and only then, to truly enjoy it. DeGoede received his Bachelor's Degree in Studio Arts from California Lutheran University in 2013 with a concentration in classical art history and oil painting. After intensive studies of the Dutch Old Masters, culminating in work focused on Rembrandt at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Andrew knew he could no longer just research the work of others, and made the switch from academic to artist.

He dedicated the final years of his education in California to figure drawing and oil painting under fine artist Tony Pro. Moving to Seattle to attend Juliette Aristides' Classical Atelier, he gained a solid foundation in academic drawing and traditional oil painting techniques. He developed his teaching experience at the Coppini Academy of Fine Art in Texas. There he was asked to lead classes in classical drawing, introduction to painting, and advanced oil techniques including; alla prima portraiture and plein air painting.

​

In 2017, to complete his Master of Fine Arts, Andrew returned to Gig Harbor and now works out of a studio back on the water that originally inspired him. Between his studies, teaching at several art academies around the Sound, and a design-centered high school, he strives to paint from life as often as possible. His work has evolved into what can be described as an impressionistic realism, with an aim at capturing and revealing the beauty that lies hidden all around us.