Andrea Niven is a multidisciplinary visual artist, educator, and community arts facilitator based in Amherstburg, Ontario. Working across drawing, painting, mixed media, photography, and sculpture, her practice is inspired by the natural world and explores themes of transformation, resilience, healing, and connection. Growing up beside Big Creek Marsh fostered a lifelong appreciation for nature, which continues to shape her artistic vision.Life is a constant state of transformation, shaped by both hardship and hope. Andrea is drawn to the tension between resilience and decay—the way growth and loss coexist in nature and human experience. Using the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly as a recurring metaphor, her work reflects journeys of change, renewal, and survival while inviting viewers to consider the delicate balance between people and the environment.Through Bear Foot Studios, Andrea creates collaborative community art projects, educational initiatives, and public art experiences that bring people together through creativity and shared storytelling. Whether creating in the studio or working alongside participants in the community, she believes art has the power to foster meaningful connections, inspire reflection, and strengthen communities while encouraging hope and environmental stewardship.Andrea holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a Bachelor of Education, and a Bachelor of Arts in French Language Studies from the University of Windsor.