Andrew Carnwath

Year of birth: 1976.
Where do you live: Richmond, VA.
Your education: BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Describe your art in three words: Bold, Colorful, Inquisitive.
Your discipline: Fine Art.
www.cornhoof.com | Instagram

Andrew Carnwath | Watermelon Cactus | 2024

Can you tell us about your journey from working in the art department on feature films to becoming a digital artist?

My journey into art and production design began in the late ’90s at Virginia Commonwealth University, where I graduated with a BFA. I always loved illustration, drawing, painting, and sculpture. During college, I discovered my passion for art direction and production design through elective film classes. This perfect blend of fine art and film led me straight into the film industry after graduation.

Fast forward 20 years when COVID-19 hit, film production paused, and I found myself at home with my family, anxious about the future. My 12-year-old daughter asked to get Procreate for her iPad, and I decided to try it too. I was immediately hooked. Drawing with Procreate became a meditative escape, helping me manage my nerves during the pandemic.

Even after film production resumed, I continued to draw every night. Today, drawing on my iPad is a deeply personal and cherished activity. It’s my creative space, free from producer approvals and budget constraints, where I can express myself fully.

Andrew Carnwath | Gaffers Bar And Grill | 2024

How have your experiences working with renowned directors influenced your approach to digital art?

Working on movies has its downsides: it’s an incubator of stress, long hours, and creative fatigue. However, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives. I have always been impressed with the talented professionals in their respective departments and how they bring order to chaos. This is best exemplified by the directors. It’s inspiring to watch a director steer the ship and realize their vision with the actors and crew. As for my art, I channel that same passion, albeit on a smaller scale.

Your art explores themes like power, money, greed, love, and death. What draws you to these particular themes?

These themes are certainly broad and universal.  I’m not inclined to delve too deeply into them. Instead, I prefer to explore the surface or just beneath it when developing my concepts. My focus is on composition, color, and form, finding ways to subtly weave these themes into the work.

Andrew Carnwath | Facehead | 2023

How do you incorporate influences from street art, outsider art, and illustration into your work?

It’s strange, but when I create using the iPad, my work leans more into illustration, letting the digital platform influence my style. I find that my digital pieces tend to be cleaner and less gestural compared to my works on paper or canvas. I’m heavily influenced by street art and outsider art, loving the bold colors and freedom that street art offers. Additionally, I am deeply inspired by untrained artists and their approach to their medium, which is typically uninfluenced by mainstream critics and processes. Their work is 100% the artist’s vision and often speaks volumes with zero pretension.

Andrew Carnwath | Pulp | 2024

You’ve worked on commercial projects for major brands. How do these experiences impact your personal art practice?

The brand’s impact may be more of a cumulative experience of problem-solving, color blocking, visual kerning, and composition. These are elements we consider in all our projects, and I assume these practices naturally work their way into my own artwork.

What was the significance of receiving the AICP Award for Best Production Design for you?

Honestly, this award came at a time when I really needed an ego boost. While we do receive appreciation and praise from coworkers and clients, it’s rare in the commercial world to be recognized at a major award ceremony. Having the award and the commercial preserved in The Museum of Modern Art’s Department of Film archives is particularly exciting and meaningful.

Andrew Carnwath | Tickle The Snake | 2024

Can you discuss a specific piece of your artwork that you feel particularly proud of and why?

I’m proud to have rediscovered my passion for fine art. It was easy for me to recognize what I love about other artists, but harder to see those same qualities in myself. I’ve truly enjoyed creating art again, even if my audience is only a few hundred followers. I feel like I’ve finally reached a point where my art is authentically my own, uninfluenced by other artists or peers. While I still grapple with self-doubt and feelings of worthlessness, I’ve found that my process has finally found its rhythm, and I now know when a piece is complete.