Artist

Hi there, you creative soul you! I’m Andréa Noel, lover of cats, Soca music, Law & Order, sharpie markers, and just about anything that’s purple! Welcome to A Noel Creates Art, home of my creative offerings to the world, and especially to you!

I’m a self-taught artist; born in Selma, Alabama, but raised in Trinidad and Tobago. For the past 18 years, I’ve resided in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area, recently moving to the city of Baltimore.

I started drawing with sharpie markers, and learned the fundamentals of my artistic style back in 2002; I was an undergraduate at Howard University, studying Chemical Engineering, and drawing was how I relieved the stress of my demanding classes. Over time, drawing moved from a stress reliever, to a spiritual practice, and now my life’s work.

Art

My artwork is a living testament to the influences of my Trinidadian roots, from its bright hues, sharp lines, dynamic patterns and provocative themes. I get inspiration from everywhere: friends and family, current events, books, music and even from you! My artwork is also deeply rooted in my experiences as an Afro-Caribbean woman in America. A few themes illustrated in my work include religion and spirituality, social justice, health, music, and sexuality.

I draw simple illustrations of familiar subjects and objects. My creative process involves getting clear on a subject, sketching pencil drafts of a focal image, and outlining it in thick lines with Sharpie® marker. After that, I draw curved and straight lines to create sections of varying sizes in and around the focal image, then weave different patterns in each of the sections. My final step usually involves applying bright colors, but on occasion I leave pieces in black and white.

While my art is drawn by hand with Sharpie® markers on watercolor paper, I only display and sell giclée (pronounced zhee-KLAY) art prints; to ensure that the vibrant colors of my work are maintained. I reproduce each print in my studio, with an Epson wide-format fine art printer, in Epson Ultrachrome archival inks (which makes my prints last a really long time), and printed on premium photo paper. I mount every print I make on white, core-beveled mat board which preserves each piece and makes it pop! For customers located in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, I offer wood framing behind glass. 

Since 2008, I’ve created over 30 commissioned pieces, facilitated creative workshops, and participated in more than 35 art exhibitions and marketplaces in Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. I’ve been featured in 5 publications, and authored “Kinks, Perms and Afros: A Coloring Book Celebrating Black Women’s Hair.”

Artistic Vision

Human beings are hardwired to need connection; we are social beings, and desire to feel supported, valued, and loved. Psychology research affirms that people who have meaningful connections to self and others lead healthier, happier and longer lives.

My creative vision is to produce art pieces that promote consciousness, creativity, and connection; my goal as an artist is to inspire customers and clients to manifest the passions inside of them that will nurture soulful connections to self, others, and the Sacred.

I invite you to let my artwork transform the spaces around you and inspire you to manifest your dreams and visions. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to learn about events and projects I am working on, thanks for visiting.

Light & love, 

Andréa

Art Footprints

I’ve had a few features in my career as an artist, and I’m proud of the various ways my artwork has been shared with the world. See the links below to see my favorite footprints made by my artwork.

Here’s a collaboration I did with writer Ann Bracken, take a peak at her words transformed to living color and my artwork in text: Poetry & Art

NaturallyCurly.com is a leading resource for the natural and textured hair community, and they featured my coloring book, Kinks, Perms & Afros (KPA): A Coloring Book Celebrating Black Women’s Hair the year I published it, here is KPA’s first feature: Kinks, Perms & Afros Debut 

As a participant in the BloomBars: imPrint exhibition in Washington DC on April 14, 2018 I was also featured in Bourgeon’s online Publication, checkout what I had to say: Adventures in Sharpieland

In Spring 2019 I had the awesome opportunity to have my work publically installed at the Riverdale Park Town Center in Riverdale Maryland, here is the unveiling of my work: Inauguration to the Public Art Scene

When two artists come together, and invite the public to add to the magic the result is yet another masterpiece, checkout my collaboration with artist Keiona Clark, CEO of DMV League Artists: Community Art