About the Artist
Biography
Andrew Cortez is a figurative and plein air artist in Southern California. He attended Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach, CA studying Fine Art and Animation. Andrew has been featured in Richeson75 International Competition, South West Magazine, demonstrated for multiple art leagues, juried for Huntington Beach Art League and has exhibited in Laguna Beach City Hall Exhibitions as well as the Masur Museum. He currently teaches at Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana, CA and Catalyst in Westminster, CA.
EXHIBITIONS
2025 Back Bay Show, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association, Newport, CA
2024 December Member Show, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association, CA
2021 57th Annual Juried Competition, Masur Museum of Art, Monore, LA
2021 Richeson75 Small Works Finalist, Richeson Gallery, Kimberly, WI
2020 Laguna Beach Juried Exhibition, Laguna Beach City Hall, Laguna Beach, CA
2019 Laguna Beach Juried Exhibition, Laguna Beach City Hall, Laguna Beach, CA
2018 Candour, Avran Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA
2017 Laguna Beach Juried Exhibition, Laguna Beach City Hall, Laguna Beach, CA
2017 Author’s Exhibition, 1888 Gallery, Orange, CA
HONORS AND AWARDS
2025 Southern California Plein Air Painters Association’s Back Bay Juried Show, Second Place and Randy Higbee Award, Newport Beach, CA
2024 Old Towne Tustin Plein Air Competition, Honorary Mention, Tustin, CA
2024 Balboa Island Art Walk, Randy Higbee Gallery Award, Balboa Island, CA
2024 OCSA Artists Teacher Fellowship Award, Santa Ana, CA
2023 Old Towne Tustin Plein Air Competition, Honorary Mention, Tustin, CA
2020 Southwest Art Magazine, 21 Under 31, Golden, CO
2020 Community Engagement, COVID-19 Relief Grant, Orange County, CA
2019 Laguna Beach Juried Exhibition, 3rd Place, Laguna Beach, CA
2017 Laguna Beach Juried Exhibition, Honorable Mention, Laguna Beach, CA
SPECIAL EVENTS
2025 Guest Demonstrator/Juror, Huntington Beach Art League, Huntington Beach, CA
2025 Guest Demonstrator, Tustin Art League, Tustin, CA
2025 Guest Demonstrator, Leisure World Art League, Long Beach, CA
2024 Juror for Huntington Beach Art League “Expression Through Color” Exhibition, Huntington Beach Art Center, CA
2024 Demonstrator, San Clemente Art Association, San Clemente, CA
2023 Guest Demonstrator/Juror, Huntington Beach Art League, Huntington Beach, CA
