Bio

Andy Cook is an artist, musician, poet, writer, photographer, free thinker, and welder. He comes from a long line of artists, musicians and poets. Being raised by an atheist, a spiritualist, an agnostic, and a religionist forced his art to be birthed in those fiery alchemical realms between god and science, evolution and creationism, life and death, and chaos and order.

Andy was born in Louisville, 1975. In 1993 he graduated from Fern Creek High School. That was enough formal education for Andy. He prefers to find his own way, to follow his own path. He chose to never attend college. He is self-taught in all the arts, in life.

From the age of two he has been drawing. Starting in high school he worked odd jobs until he found a trade in welding. He presently works at Pohl Iron Works, Louisville, making ornamental Iron. He is an Iron Artist, one of many forms of his artistic expression.

In 2007 he leaned that he could draw ambidextrously. This stepped up the level of chaos, taking him further away from cross hatching and pointillism that he frequently used before.

After avoiding painting for 33 years he was finally inspired in the fall of 2008 to start and has been quite taken with it ever since.

Andy's art has been exhibited in several galleries around Kentucky.

He started playing drums in 1992. In 1995 he picked up didgeridoo and various world percussion instruments. When Andy falls in love with a new instrument, or art form, he immerses himself in it. He works non-stop around the clock until he becomes one with it.

Andy has been inspired by a number of artists including M.C. Escher, Leonardo DaVinci, Vincent Van Gogh, Georgia O'Keefe, Edvard Munch and Ralph Steadman. His musical inspiration derives from Rock and Roll, World music, Folk, Metal, Prog Rock, and Jazz. Writing inspiration ranges from Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson, Lao Tzu, Homer, Kurt Vonnegut, Ron Whitehead, William Burroughs, Carl Jung, Carl Sagan, to Douglas Adams.

Andy has played in and with a number of different groups including his present project, Rabbit Rabbit, with Issac Feece. In 2001 he met Ron Whitehead at a Kentucky Center for The Arts Wriiting Workshop. The Workshop was led by Ron and James Baker Hall. As a result of this encounter, Andy has been traveling, touring America and Europe, performing with Ron for 8 years. He has performed music all over the United States and through Iceland, Scotland, and England with various bands, musicians, and poets including Sarah Elizabeth, David Amram, Frank Messina, Ron Whitehead, Tyrone Cotton, Southside, Bob Holman, Megas, Michael Pollock, Danny Pollock, Anonymous, Ivar Orn, Thordeez, ARCH, Scaramongo, Strike City, Paul K, Myron Koch, Jeffery Scott Holland, Marisa Barnes, James Vaughn, Issac Feece, Brian Silliman and Jason Schooling. For two years Andy was President of the Louisville Poets' Guild.

Andy recorded for the following albums: Tyranosaurus Tex - ARCH.. Viking Hillbilly Apocalypse Revue.. I Will not Bow Down, I Refuse - Ron Whitehead.. Water, Energy - Scaramongo.. Kentucky Blues - David Amram & Ron Whitehead.. Off the Cuff - Artists on Strike.. When the Redbuds Bloom, Don't Die Yet - Sarah Elizabeth.. Southside Lounge, We Are the Storm - Ron Whitehead and Southside.. Walking Home - Frank Messina & Ron Whitehead.. World Citizen - Michael Pollock.. Not Mute - Various Artists.

Andy is the author of one book: State of The Universe Address Andy also is one of the authors in the book: Jack Kerouac On the Road On the Road On the Road reflections upon the 50th anniversary Andy lives in The Highlands, Louisville, Kentucky. 40205