Trading Law Books for Paintbrushes: MFA Student Andres Izquierdo Follows Creative Calling
When visitors check into Alexandria's new boutique hotel, Hotel Heron, they are in for a treat—15 original paintings by AU Studio Art MFA Student Andres Izquierdo (CAS ‘25) are on display in the newly renovated building.
Originally from Colombia, Izquierdo is a lawyer by training and currently a staff member at the Washington College of Law. He started painting five years ago after a medical procedure, an experience that inspired him to search new ways of expressing his creativity “I was focused on my legal practice, but after the surgery, I decided to also start painting,” he says. After taking watercolor classes at Middleburg Library, Izquierdo was inspired by the work of famous artists, such as Rembrandt, Caravaggio, and Van Gogh and practiced painting different styles and techniques. After a few years of painting on his own, Izquierdo needed inspiration to find his own style. After speaking with AU faculty, Izquierdo enrolled in AU’s Studio Art MFA Program. “I needed to explore new avenues to take my art to the next level,” he says.
After enrolling in the program, Izquierdo threw himself into experimentation, trying new painting techniques, sculpture, video, photography, and VR paintings. Through the mentorship of faculty, research, reading, and practicing, he found his own voice. He decided to focus on portraiture, moving from a more figurative to expressive style that captures the fleeting essence of subjects. “The whole process was a breakthrough—I stopped premeditating my works and just let them emerge.” The abstract faces that have become Izquierdo’s signature style are drawn from memory, both real and imagined. Notable figures include George Washington and Ralph Nader, and like his other paintings are eponymously titled “Mme. Taylor” and “Silvania.”
Izquierdo says that there are two parts to being an artist—creating and connecting with audiences. He’s been active in promoting his work: applying for exhibitions, making contacts, emailing galleries, and maintaining a social media presence. “You have to get used to rejection—it’s normal in art and in life,” he says.
A single “yes” can lead to great things for an artist. Last year, Izquierdo's work was included in an exhibition in the Katzen Arts Center. The local arts non-profit, Transformer, then invited Izquierdo to include his work in its FlatFile program, which features small, reasonably priced artworks. Current American University MFA students Marie B Gauthiez, Genie Ghim, and Taylor Sizemore (CAS ‘24) are also represented in Transformer’s FlatFile.
Left-right: Miguel Cervantes, 2023. Oil paint and paper, 16 x 12 in. George Washington, 2023. Oil paint and paper, 16 x 12 in. Lipton, 2023. Oil paint and paper, 16 x 12 in. All courtesy of the artist.
In his job at WCL, Izquierdo works as counsel and policy analyst on international and domestic intellectual property and copyright law, including legal access to arts and culture. Part of his job is bringing new proposals and assist delegations at the World Intellectual Property Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations. “My legal work sometimes is also about art, but I get to explore it from the policy and legal side,” he says. “Sometimes I get to create access to culture and then create art itself.” Izquierdo believes that everyone has creative potential, and it’s never too late to try something new. “We are all humans who can create—you just have to get started.”