Biography 

Andrea Vela Alarcón (Peru)  

Andrea Vela Alarcón is a Peruvian mestiza Chinese/Adean educator and self-taught visual artist based in Hamilton, Ontario. Andrea holds a licentiate degree from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru and a master of fine arts (2020) in adult education and community development with a collaborative specialization in women and gender studies from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. She is also a PhD candidate in philosophy, communication, culture, and new media at McMaster University in Hamilton. Andrea has received many awards and grants including the RBC Newcomer Space Award (2019) for further research projects. She is the author of the books ABC del Peru (2020) and Fairy Tales of the World: Ayaymama (2013).  

Andrea Vela Alarcón’s studio work focuses on drawing and illustration. Andreas' contemporary colour palette and themes are inspired by the Peruvian landscape and indigenous mythology. It is through art that she continuously instructs her practice in pedagogical studies and art to reflect on belonging and ancestry. Her work appears in the publication of the mentorship program Future/Forward at the International Centre of Social Change (2022). In 2021, Collective Arts Brewing in Toronto selected her design to be printed in their merchandise. She has been part of the collective exhibition Colores de Latinoamérica (2020) at the TD Sunfest in Toronto.

Self Care Notes series of Illustrations

2020

Digital Illustrations

Image from Illustration from Self Care Notes, Beyond the toolkit Community Engagement COVID-19, Google Images 2023

Solo exhibitions

Unavailable content found online, section to be updated.

Collective exhibitions

Andrea Vela Alarcón collective exhibition Colores de Latinoamérica, TD Sunfest, 2020 

Interviews

Andrea Vela Alarcón interview by desde mi ojo de pez, 2018

Presentations

Andrea Vela Alarcón press release artist talk OCADU, Ontario College of Art and Design University, Toronto, 2022

Published work by Andrea Vela Alarcón

Andrea Vela Alarcón overview mentorship program Future/Forward, International Centre of Social Change, 2022 

Andrea Vela Alarcón and Stephanie Springgay, chapter publication 'The ethics and politics of careRelationality, responsibility and hope in post-secondary art education,' Posthuman and Political Care Ethics of Reconfiguring Higher Education Pedagogies, 2020 

Published work about Andrea Vela Alarcón

Andrea Vela Alarcón review the community engagement project by Lisa Smith, 2022 

Press release

Unavailable content found online, section to be updated.

List of Grants, Awards and Projects

Andrea Vela Alarcón design Collective Arts Brewing, Toronto, 2021 

Andrea Vela Alarcón news post recipients RBC Space Award, Akin Collective, 2020 

Andrea Vela Alarcón recipients list Exhibition Assistance Grants, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto, 2019- 2020

Using Format