Artist’s career began in a snowstorm

PORT CLINTON - It was a blustery Ohio snowstorm that drew Jim Andrews into the world of art.

“It was about 40 years ago. We were snowed in for a week, and I needed to find something for the kids to do,” said Andrews, of Bellevue. “I brought out the crayons and paints and thought, ‘This is kind of fun.’”

Now, the world-recognized painter is teaching others his art, including an oil painting workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Sutton Center, 1854 E. Perry St., Port Clinton. The class is sponsored by the Port Clinton Artists’ Club and costs $45. Students will learn how to paint a still life entitled, “When Life Gives You Lemons.” For information, call Alice Holly at 419-341-2562.

Andrews began with the help of how-to books and visits to art museums in Toledo and Cleveland. He taught himself to paint, do pen and ink drawings and create woodcarvings. Andrews is an art instructor at Terra State Community College.

His specialty is miniature paintings — fully detailed landscapes and still lifes painted on canvas as small as 2 ½-by-3 ½ inches.

“The secret is your brushes have to come to a nice, fine point, and I use a magnifying glass when I get down to the nitty-gritty part of it,” he said. “I probably take as much time painting these as the big ones. Everything is in there. You’re just taking the big painting and shrinking it.”

Andrews stumbled into the art of miniatures about 20 years ago.

“I was going to an art show in Parma, and one of the categories was miniatures. I had no idea what that was, so I called and asked. I did three of them and got first, second and third place,” he said.

Andrews sells his miniatures in art shops all over the country, and his works have been chosen for display at World Federation of Miniaturists Worldwide Exhibitions in both Moscow and the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

Andrews’ standard-size paintings often feature lake scenes, both above and below the water. He had already gained an interest in Great Lakes shipwrecks when he befriended a few scuba divers about a decade ago.

“I had done paintings of ships going down and in good shape above the water. Then some friends that scuba dive gave me videos of shipwrecks. Now I paint the ships’ anchors and bowsprits and wheels underwater. It adds another dimension to the painting when you get underwater,” he said.

Andrews’ work can be purchased at “Art at 106” at 106 S. Sandusky St., Bellevue.

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty atsheri.trusty@gmail.com or 419-639-0662.