Andrew Jo is a Minneapolis-based painter whose abstract landscapes blend shapes and color contrasts to evoke universal emotions. Originally from the Southwest, Andrew’s work is deeply influenced by the environments and eclectic experiences that invite the audience to create their own stories.

My fondest muse is an everyday encounter with nature. My work features birch trees, acorns, snow, and Minnesotan
wildlife. Rather than just cultural reminders or contrasts to city life, these subjects are worthy of a very detailed and
intimate study to me.

My specialty is mixed media artworks, where my
focus is treating nature as a collaborator. I make art to remind people of their space in time. Their potential does not define them, nor does their past fully represent them. Like the seed, we are nature, in the now, and can simply be allowed to be.

I grew up in Sapporo, Japan, and now I love calling Minneapolis home. I’ve worked as a freelance illustrator for years, mostly creating digital pieces, but lately I’ve been exploring paper‑cut and mixed‑material work, drawn to the slower, handmade rhythm. With two little kids, I want my art‑making to be approachable—something they can see and touch. Our living‑room table is usually covered in paper scraps, pens, and half‑finished ideas, and that everyday mess gives me small pockets of creativity throughout the day. Working by hand makes my art feel connected to daily life, and keeps me open to surprises—those little “mistakes” often become the best parts of a piece.

I’m happiest when I’m making things. Nature, family, kids, and color inspire me, and I love when my imagination takes over. I am a storyteller. I dream of an inclusive world, believe in magic, and wish animals could talk. As a mixed media artist, I mostly paint with acrylic, watercolor, ink and digital. I’ve been a freelance illustrator and graphic designer for many years, have illustrated picture books, was commissioned to do whimsical paintings for neonatal and surgical corridors in children's hospitals, and have taught illustration to kids. I’m now a picture book writer and potter too. I’ve lived in East Harriet for 28 years, and with my husband, am raising our family. I hope my art brings joy to the world. Find my art at www.saraweingartner.com.