Biography

Andrew David Stark is an Assistant Professor of Practice at North Dakota State University where he teaches Graphic Design, Illustration, Drawing, and Foundations classes in the Department of Visual Arts. Born on the North Shore in Two Harbors, MN and raised in Fargo, ND, he began drawing and creating as a child.  Greatly involved in music, theater, and art throughout his young adulthood, Andrew continued his passion for the arts with post-secondary education.  He earned his B.F.A. in 2003 from Minnesota State University Moorhead and his M.F.A. with an Emphasis in Painting from the University of North Dakota in 2009.  Andrew’s work varies greatly in style and technique and moves between abstraction and figuration, reveling in the exploration of materials and methods.  His work has investigated a wide range of conceptual concerns including reinterpretation of the modernist sublime, impermanence and transcendence, and the human condition as it relates to the landscape and environment.  

Stark’s artwork has been exhibited extensively regionally and can be found in numerous regional and national private collections.  His public and corporate collections include Minnesota State University Moorhead, University of North Dakota, Fargo City Hall, TMI Hospitality, Vogel Law Firm, Dawson Insurance, Gate City Bank, West Acres, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Enclave, and First International Bank & Trust.

Ask Me

Who are your role models or inspiring folks?

Role models are everywhere to guide our thinking and I have had so many it is difficult to narrow their influence. My undergraduate and graduate professors were particularly inspiring mentors because of their passion, curiosity, enthusiasm, and encouragement. They taught me it is ok to fail, to tirelessly iterate ideas, to push boundaries and materials within my work, and to see and think about the world in interesting ways. 

Outside of art and design fields, what inspires you?

Music, books, travel & people! The natural world continuously inspires my work with its sublime complexity, beauty, and variation. I love gardening and growing things.  I try to plant a minimum of 1 tree every year. 

What do you wish you had known when you started out as a student/in this field?

The time you are given as an undergraduate to make art is very precious and you should not be afraid to explore all manners of creation with great intensity and passion. Don't be afraid to fail and believe in yourself.  Revel in your time in the studio.  Style will develop naturally and is best not to worry about.  Be ambitious and go big!

What was your most memorable meal? 

My mother's homemade bread as a child. Rolling out the dough with flour dust flying, watching it rise, and smelling the bread as it baked in the oven was especially impactful and tremendously vivid in my memory.  I still love fresh bread as it reminds me of those experiences baked into my memory.

In your office, you can only have three things, one book, one tool, and one picture. What would they be and why?

A sketchbook, an ink pen, and a picture of my family.

Art Works