"Andrew Langoussis..."

I distinctly remember not distinctly remembering when I first met Andrew, but he was always a constant topic of conversation with P.D., and Andrew's ceiling to floor 'Bone Zipper' painting in P.D.'s apartment was completely mesmerizing. "I was especially touched when Andrew gave me that," P.D. said, "since it came at a time when Andrew was struggling financially."

But I do recall an exhibit in the college art gallery that featured Andrew's other paintings, pastels, and especially his dynamic self portrait- as well as the marvelous eight foot tall, four-sided work that looked as if there were figures pressing out from the other side of the canvas. All this incredible figurative work for which I was starved since I had spent my time in the art department being told "the human figure is dead." P.D. explained that Andrew had suffered much the same while in grad school.

A student at Rockford College, Andrew took a painting course from P.D. as an elective. "Dedrick's teaching imparted 'insight', not just sight'," Andrew explained. He changed his major from chemistry to art in his final year. He received his graduate degree at Cranbrook Academy in Michigan and faced familiar head winds. Andrew recalls he was, "The only student working without masking tape: the quintessential tool for hard edged abstractionists." He confided his angst with P.D. who replied, "Why would you want to paint like everybody else?"

Andrew returned to Rockford where he taught at high schools and community colleges, as well as night school at R.C. We would run into one another on occasion and I regretted never having him as my teacher. His work instilled me with wonder and great envy. As the years passed he joined the faculty full time and eventually became the head of the department. I know of no other case where student achieved chairman, and carried a full class load at the same time!

Over the years Bo-Bo would tell me not only of Andrew's continued creativity, but the warehouse he converted into a studio: well impressed by his industry and unflagging energy in constructing what is... well... a college art department. 

The top floor with its giant sky light a painting studio and beautiful gallery of work and the floor beneath an industrial playground of wood working machines, metal casting material and where he constructs 'architectural fragments'- distressed surfaces with broken edges lined with twisted rebar.

These have become his new canvas. His paintings are sculpture, his sculpture are paintings. He incorporates classical images from past frescoes with the modern figure. Michelangelo would be proud... as would Philip Dedrick... Andrew's teacher, mentor, and friend who, I rightly believe, he misses still very much.

P.D. & Andrew
Photo by Randi Williams