Andrea Pichaida grew up in Santiago Chile where she learned to enjoy and respect nature to the fullest. She has traveled extensively throughout Europe where her interest in ancient cultures was ignited. Andrea holds an MFA from the Pontifical Catholic University in Chile where she became an Associate Professor teaching sculpture, ceramics and clay. Andrea moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2010 and opened her private sculpting studio where she works and teaches. Andrea's work has been exhibited in several national and international shows and she serves on the board of the New Mexico Potters and Clay artists. Andrea's creative process starts with a vague idea scribbled on paper. Once she gets her hands on the clay, a more intuitive journey begins. Clay of all types gives her the ability to play freely and achieve shapes in which an ongoing dialog between form, color, surface and texture can take place. While striving for clean shapes, lines and gracefulness Andrea also aims for those little nuances that make a difference; shaping, punching, pushing, carving, texturizing and coloring to achieve her sculptural abstract forms.