Andrew Mcilvene Tender Thoughts in Sweet Solitude

December 2021

Andrew Mcilvaine is a Mexican American interdisciplinary artist. Born in San Antonio, Texas, and later moved to Missouri, Mcilvaine creates work about displacement and replacement and how these issues effect both cultural and personal memory, identity, and a sense of self. Mcilvaine earned his BA in studio art from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. After receiving his BA, Mcilvaine moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he attained his MFA from Washington University in St. Louis in painting and drawing. Currently, Mcilvaine lives and works in Kansas City and holds a visiting lecturer position in the foundation program at KCAI.

Artist Statement:

In June of 1993, a woman from the Wheatley Courts Projects of San Antonio, Texas gave birth to a baby boy. This body of work explores his life and his relationship to his father locked up in prison, and he and his mother’s move to Missouri in search of a new life. This magical reality narrative is one filled with separation, solitude, longing, heartbreak, and trauma yet is shown through the tenderness of a boy trying to come to terms with his fate. Unfold the candy-coated love notes of the past, and search for the meaning of a life filled with rose-colored calligraphy.

Process:

"All the work in this show was inspired by my father’s paños created during his time in prison. These are symbols of my father’s love and speak about the communication we had while he was behind bars. All paintings in this show are inspired by his process. A process that involves creating pigments by stripping the color off candy and mixing it with baby lotion. These candied images are sweet in smell, and soft in feel. Transforming the roughness of an object into one that is smooth, soft, and sugary. Thus, moving a life filled with pain towards one filled with pleasure.”- Andrew