Check Out Wander Girl's Artwork
Prints, cards, mugs and more available!
https://fineartamerica.com/artists/andrea+russell
Prints available at:
Prints available at:
I was lucky enough to discover art in college as a way to relieve stress and essentially just feel like I could keep my sanity through nursing school (insert shout-out to all my fellow nurses here). I came to notice that often the image I created was a better representation of what I was feeling than any verbal explanation I could produce. The more I dabbled in it the more I realized that I loved making art and eventually came to a point where I didn't feel whole without it. After I graduated I started taking art classes in between nursing shifts at a local community college and really became alive for what seemed like the first time. Right around this time I also discovered that being an art therapist was an actual thing and immediately knew I wanted to do that (and this will be the shout-out location for all my fellow art therapists!).
Prints available at:
Moving across the country to attend grad school was sort of my first big throw caution to the wind gesture. I had no money, no plan, no job lined up, and I didn't know a soul. All I knew was that I wanted to be an art therapist and the grad school I fell in love with (Yay for Naropa University) was near the rocky mountains so that meant skiing was in my future, and how could that be a wrong decision? Art therapy school was an incredibly beautiful experience (although, don't get me wrong I'm relieved to be done). I had no idea I could feel so challenged but so blessed at the same time. It's amazing to me how much I grew as a nurse, a therapist, a person, and an artist.
Prints available at:
During this time I also was fortunate enough to take several trips with a dear friend from school (you know who you are - love you!) where we set off with no plan and a very tight budget. One such trip included hopping off the plane in Costa Rica with nothing but our backpacks and a return ticket in two weeks. Each trip we were both journaling, making art, and loving the awesome experiences that seemed to fall in our laps when we didn't make an itinerary.
So you see the pattern here right? For me there's just something about making art, traveling, and having faith in no plan that seem to go together in a way that provides that unforgettable quality. Thus, this blog may seem to be dual-focused, travel and art, but to me they are inseparable. I'm excited to see both how my travels influence my art and how my art influences my travel.
Thanks for reading,
- Wander Girl
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