We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrea Larko and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrea, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My thought process behind starting my own business weighed heavily on my desire to create and have something solely mine. Having worked so hard to help others pursue their dreams as mine began to extinguish, I wanted to have the opportunity to follow my own passions as well. When the chance presented itself I was apprehensive to take the leap but knew I may not have another. 10 years later I’m still going strong and am so grateful to have followed my dream to become an artist.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Art is my therapy, my meditation. Yet sometimes the source of frustration and stress as well. Living as an artist your work is a part of who you are. Every piece I put out is a piece of my soul, my being. Behind it all are years of professional schooling, practice, practice and more practice, so many mistakes, bad sketches, burned paintings, harsh critiques, people telling me my job isn’t real and a very deep sense of insecurity to share something so personal with the world. No, where I am today was not an easy road to navigate and everyday is still a challenge. But those trials have made me a stronger person and I wouldn’t change one thing about the path that lead to this magical place.

I’ve heard all the platitudes to “Never give up”, “Follow your dreams”, “If you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life”… but never thought I’d have that opportunity. Illustrators and artists are not commonplace anymore. Schools are removing art from their curriculums and seemingly it is becoming obsolete in a time when it is needed the most. I’ve learned to follow my heart and  gut when my passion is to create through my own expression and not let others tear me down. To keep going no matter what tries to stop me and know I’ve fought hard for this life, this career, and will overcome any obstacle in my path in order to keep moving forward.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in a small town east of Pittsburgh, PA. If a friend came to visit me I’d take them out into nature to fly fish some of the beautiful small streams and rivers around Indiana, PA. I’d take them out to eat at my favorite local Italian deli, Sanso’s in Homer City and stop at my local fly shop for some good fishing stories at Indiana Angler on Grandview Ave.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Credit and recognition go out to my social media followers and customers who gave me the push to follow my dreams and also supported me by purchasing my work. It also goes out to magazines such as The Drake, who first published an interview about me early on in my career and companies like Simms and Abel Reels who picked up my work and added it to their line of amazing products to showcase it worldwide. Most of the credit though goes to my mother, Amy, who supported and encouraged me my entire life to follow my dreams of being an artist and still does to this day. Without her support I know I wouldn’t be able to have such a fulfilling career.

Website: www.andrealarko.com

Instagram: @AndreaLarko

Linkedin: Andrea Larko

Twitter: @alarko

Facebook: facebook.com/artbyandrealarko

Image Credits
Andrea Larko

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