Andrea Doris

Artist Bio

The most basic tenant of the Bauhaus was that form follows function. As a designer who thrives on practicality, I hold this tenant close. But as an artist who admires form, I reject the notion that functionality is an object’s greatest purpose.

I've always enjoyed making things. I’ve dabbled in painting, illustration, and photography, and professionally I’ve worked as a graphic and user experience designer. My first love, though, was ballet. Ballet was the first art form that I truly appreciated. It taught me discipline and that you can get pretty good at just about anything if you work hard enough. Plus, I loved wearing tutus.

I started working with wood in 2017 in grad school for Design. I helped open a fab lab at the school, and one of the machines we got was a laser cutter. I learned how to take what I was designing digitally and turn it into something three-dimensional. It sparked a new passion for woodworking and launched me into the artist I am today.

At the beginning of 2020, I started my own business designing and crafting handmade mirrors. I use wood and glass to marry form and function. I want to give the viewer something beautiful to look at while showing them something even more beautiful—themselves.

Artist Work

Title: Growth
Category: Visual Arts
Genre: Mixed Media, Design, Fabrication, Other 
Description: This design is hand-drawn and cut on my laser. It's painted with greens, ivory, matte black, and a hint of copper. The 4-layer frame adds extra dimension when reflected in the glass, and it's removable for easy cleaning. The outer frame is made of solid white oak. It's built using a rabbet joint with walnut splines for maximum strength and stability. This piece comes complete with a French cleat hanger that can support up to 100lbs.  

Title: Renewal
Category: Visual Arts
Genre: Mixed Media, Design, Fabrication, Other
Description: This statement piece was hand-drawn and then cut on my laser. It's painted in two layers. The bottom layer has a gradient of greens to yellow to pinks. The top layer is a deep forest green. The backer is textured and painted a soft pink. The frame has a rabbet joint and is made of solid walnut with white oak splines for maximum strength and stability. This piece comes complete with a French cleat hanger that can support up to 100lbs.

Title: Home
Category: Visual Arts
Genre: Mixed Media, Design, Fabrication, Other 
Description: When I started this piece, I asked my friends and family what they thought of when they heard the word "home." I got some very personal responses: safe, calm, comforting, corn fields, delays, cuddle puddles, warm, blanket, couch, cats, campfires, love, a person. I started to think about how "home" can mean something different to everyone, and I wanted to find a way to reflect that.

My idea of "home" has changed a lot over the last couple of years. With the birth of my son, the isolation due to the pandemic, and some other big life changes, my home has become less about my physical space and more about connecting with the people who are in it. This piece is about that connection. I wanted to create something that felt like togetherness, warmth, and family. The negative space in the glass shifts into positive space, and the viewer can see their own version of "home" in the reflection. The piece becomes less about the physical work and more about what the viewer sees in its reflection.

This piece was hand-drawn and then cut on my laser and scroll saw. It features line art supported by layers of sage green and bright orange. The mirror has a black tint, which gives it a rich, dark color and a dramatic and elegant reflection. The frame is built so that the glass can be removed and easily cleaned. This piece comes complete with a French cleat hanger.

Location

 73107