Andrew Goralski

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Andy developed an interest in art at an early age. Goralski has always been a passionate sports fan. Andy’s trademark ability to paint lifelike portraits has brought him to national prominence in recent years, and his originals hang in the homes of many top athletes around the country. “I try to capture the heart of the athlete I’m painting,” he explains. “For many of the people who collect my work, the players are like family. They see them on TV almost every day. They know what they look like from all angles. That’s why it’s so important to paint them as realistically as possible,” he adds. Although adept in both oils and acrylics, Andy prefers to work in pastels, a trait that also sets him apart, since many artists shy away from this often difficult to use medium. “Pastels can be hard to control and it can be difficult to maintain detail with them, although I’m convinced that the natural texture of a persons face cannot be achieved with other mediums” Andy explains. Each work is done one layer at a time. Andy begins by sanding a heavy-weight museum-quality paper until he achieves the proper “tooth.” He then meticulously layers pigments to achieve the desired effect. His unique layered style allows his works to take on a three dimensional quality. Pastels are pure pigment, the same pigment used to manufacture oil and acrylic paints, without a liquid binder. Since they are not composed of liquid, pastels can last virtually forever. Acrylics and oils are subject to cracking and fading as they age.

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