Andrea Andres grew up in rural Iowa where Nature and her creativity became her joy and comfort. It was her elementary art teacher that first connected her love of art and Nature by taking the class on Nature walks. She also encouraged her artistic confidence by displaying her farm scene in a nearby art museum. Andrea continued to pour herself into the arts but when it came time to decide what degree to get at the University of Iowa her dad told her to pick something more practical than art. Still, she took art classes on the side. Multiple art professors asked her to stay on to double major in art but with a new husband and the only role Andrea believed was important was to raise a family, her goal was to graduate faster. Ironically, the very class that didn’t count towards a minor in art, taught by a world renown calligrapher, produced an art piece that went on display at a local curated art show where a couple liked it so much they asked for 7 custom art pieces. This sent her on a ten plus year journey, fueling a small art-based business while raising two children in St Louis, MO. In 2014 she and her husband moved their young family to Squamish, BC where she continued pouring herself into the art community. She held multiple leadership roles with VISUALS, Squamish Arts Council and Marketing the art gallery at the Squamish Public Library before starting an art-based studio gallery where seven other emerging artists gave workshops from stained glass to first nations wood carving to puppet shows. It was a short-lived joy however with the rising costs of rent. Feeling a bit burnt out in the art industry Andrea continued connecting herself and others to Nature, became a ski instructor, patrol guide, snowshoe guide, education guide and forest bathing guide. Today Andrea uses her limitless creativity every day as an Education Assistant with the young children she supports, has become an author, poet, photographer and illustrator. Andrea was recognized as a  professional Artist of British Columbia in 2018.