About Us
Welcome! I'm Andi and I started Misty Cove Design Company in 2019 after what began as a hobby started to take on new meaning. I am a blessed Mom of two and two amazing bonus kiddos! I grew up on the beautiful coast of Maine and over the years I continue to rediscover that the beauty I was surrounded by as a child and teenager has truly molded my inner creator.
GIVE ME THE OCEAN & ALL THAT COMES WITH IT!
I remember as a teenager sitting in front of the ocean listening to the crashing waves and daydreaming on what the world had in store for me. The ocean is and always will be deeply engrained in my soul. It's vastness always made me feel so tiny, yet so limitless. It truly allowed me to dream.
My Dad was a lobsterman and I spent many Summer days on the ocean on my Dad's boat or on the rocks near the family fish house exploring, catching crabs, learning to row a boat and swimming (and even getting stuck in the mudflats!). Every sunset, every sound, every smell is still a perfect memory to this day.
SLOW DOWN AND... BREATHE!
I fondly remember bird watching with my Gandpa (My Mom's Dad) for hours on end. He was a professional at teaching you to slow down, look and listen. We would have his bird books out trying to identify every breed of bird that would land on the feeders. I'm pretty confident he knew them all, he just wanted me to learn what he knew. The memories with my Gandpa are some of the most vibrant and in some way have manifested themselves in slow motion in my mind. I remember his voice, inflection, smell, laugh, stature almost as if he is right here with me still. He was my first true loss when he passed. He instilled an appreciation of the little things, the simple things in life.
GRAMMY, HER PHOTOGRAPHS & GEM COLLECTION
My Grammy (my Dad's Mom) was a retired photographer, but I remember being fascinated with her old cameras and thousands and thousands of slides. Her huge coastal photographs hung in her house like an art gallery. She specialized in photographing tidal pools which almost gave an abstract view to her photographs. Tidal pools are little pools of ocean water after the tide goes out that are nestled in the huge rocks that contain small aquatic life, shells, rocks, seaweed and other rarely appreciated treasures. I truly loved her work even as a child and it also reminded me that there is no detail is too great.
The same grandmother also had an enormous rock and gem collection in her greenhouse room. Every color, size make shape from all over the world! As a child when I would go to visit she could often find me in her shelves that held hundreds of these exotic geodes and agates. I never thought I would be using those as inspiration to some of my own art 30 years down the road. The geode and agate inspired pieces that I create are the most enjoyable to make, as the sky is the limit and rules are boundless.
EVERY STEP LEADS US TO WHERE WE ARE MEANT TO BE!
For as long as I can remember I have always drawn, colored or painted. As I got older my focus and fascination became with lettering, calligraphy, logos and eventually advertising/signage. My second summer job at a small local shoe store lent itself to my logo making. My boss was constantly challenging me to make a sign that would draw the customers in to a sale! I like to think I rose to the occasion :). If nothing else, I enjoyed making them!
Fast forward a bit to my decision to embark on a new kind of journey into the United States Air Force following in the footsteps of my big brother. Leaving Maine and leaving family was hard, but the many "conversations" I had with the ocean waves over the years had lead me to believe there was something bigger out there that I needed to do, with a different kind of purpose. I spent an unanticipated 20 years in the Air Force, traveling home every chance that I could to absorb as much of the coast and salty air possible in just a couple of weeks time. I truly believe that distance makes the heart grow fonder not just for people but also for places.
I honestly thought for the longest time that business logos and marketing might be my true calling. I knew it was a passion, I just was not sure if it would lead anywhere. My beautiful mother has encouraged my creativity year after year and has always been the biggest advocate of my many artistic endeavors. She's always reminding me in my moments of doubt that there are no limits to what I can do. My husband (and silent partner) also always offers his honest opinion, which is underappreciated. He's quick to tell me when a line is crooked or something is off center, but this has only made me a better artist. He is my in-house creative genius with wood, metal and fine details that help me close the loop on some of my projects and I'm so thankful for that! We are very much a team in every aspect.
SOCIAL MEDIA MANIA INSPIRATION
Along came Pinterest and Instagram that is where I discovered all kinds of beautiful types of art that maybe didn't fit the traditional bill that I had come to know. I began to research some styles and then decided I was going to try some of this so-called "abstract" stuff that I had never thought would fancy me, or fulfill my creative beast. I started with the acrylic pouring methods and the rest escalated from there. While I enjoyed the pours and still do, my goal is always to put my own spin on them. Pouring turned into geodes and making things that inspire people, or remind them of something, someone, or maybe where they come from or where they want to be. Whatever the case I enjoy and embrace this creative journey that I am on and the chance to hopefully connect someone else with my artwork as part of their story!
HISTORY OF MISTY COVE DESIGN COMPANY
My father passed away in 2012 and he loved the water more than anyone I know! I thought it only fitting that the name pay homage to him in some manner. His last lobster boat that he owned was named "Misty". A small inlet on the ocean's coast is affectionately called a "cove". Our family fish house sits on the serene edge of a cove in Boothbay Harbor, Maine and the name Misty Cove Design Company came to be from there!
I sincerely hope you enjoy browsing my work and the inspiration behind my pieces!
Andi