Art & Life with Audrey De La Cruz and Larry Andrade

Today we’d like to introduce you to Audrey De La Cruz and Larry Andrade.

Audrey, Larry, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Art has been a part of my life ever since I was a child. My parents are very creative people and they would always encourage creative play and coloring when I was young. I never thought I would pursue art as a career, because I never formally studied it or thought that it would be a viable career path for me. I’m originally from Los Angeles, California and I have a degree in Anthropology from UCLA. After graduating from college, I worked at a job that I liked but didn’t fulfil me creatively. I felt a calling to pursue something unique and different and this calling brought me and my husband, Larry, to Tucson, Arizona. We bought a small house near the Saguaro National Park and have been running our business from it ever since. In the two years we’ve been in business we’ve done over 60 local events, have our stores in many Tucson businesses and are hoping to branch out into other parts of Arizona.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Annotated Audrey Art is a wife and husband team in Tucson, Arizona. We specialize in designing, printing and manufacturing desert and nature-themed products using Audrey’s vibrant and quirky art. Our signature products include coloring books, art prints, notecards, weatherproof vinyl stickers, pin back buttons and acrylic paintings on vinyl records. We believe that art has the power to spread positivity and that art should be accessible to everyone. Our mission is to make artful & affordable products that inspire people to have fun and bring color into their lives.

What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
It is definitely true that being an artist can be kind of lonely sometimes. Luckily for me, I have a partner who is on this art journey with me. In regards to finding other artists to connect with, I’ve found that Instagram has been a great place for me to find people who I connect with and form relationships with them. I feel like often times artists can be introverted or shy and meeting someone in an online setting can help to alleviate the awkwardness of first meetings. I also feel like sometimes the internet gives you courage to be vulnerable and reveal parts of yourself that you might not necessarily do with someone that you just meet. In some cases, I think online platforms such as Instagram actually can fast track relationships and can allow you to meet people that you would never have IRL. Funnily enough, the first conversation I ever had with Larry was over FB chat and we’ve been best friends and a couple for almost 8 years.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I often post pictures of new artwork and products on Instagram (@annotatedaudrey) or on our website annotatedaudrey.com. To purchase artwork or other fun products, you can visit our online store (shop.annotatedaudrey.com) or shop local in Tucson at stores like Popcycle on 4th avenue or Old Town Artisans in downtown Tucson.

Contact Info:

• Website: annotatedaudrey.com
• Email: audrey@annotatedaudrey.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annotatedaudrey
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/audreyannotates
• Other: http://shop.annotatedaudrey.com

Image Credit:
Record Painting by Audrey De La Cruz
Weather Proof Vinyl Stickers by Annotated Audrey Art
Pin Back Buttons by Annotated Audrey Art
Cactus and Critters Coloring Book by Annotated Audrey Art
Cassi Redux by Audrey De La Cruz
A Starry Night in AZ by Audrey De La Cruz
Arizona x California (Connections Collection Summer 2018) by Audrey De La Cruz
Catch a Falling Star by Audrey De La Cruz

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