Andrew Arocho. White Waters, 2026. Acrylic, Oil pastel, Ink, Sail Material & Concrete On Canvas.
30 x 48 in.
Andrew Arocho
Andrew Arocho is a Miami-based artist whose abstract compositions reflect on the emotional and metaphorical dimensions of journeying—both literal and internal. Drawing inspiration from the ocean and his own travels, Arocho uses gestural brushwork, layered materials, and a bold color palette to explore themes of unpredictability, transformation, and resilience. His paintings range from small-scale studies to immersive large canvases and often incorporate unconventional materials like sailboat string and cement, embedding physical references to navigation and movement into the work. Arocho’s process blends structure with spontaneity, balancing intuitive mark-making with moments of control to capture the tension between order and chaos, planning and chance. His evolving visual language resists strict categorization, instead offering textured, emotionally charged abstractions that mirror the flux of personal and collective experience.
1. How did you come across the practice of including such unconventional materials in your work?
My connection to reclaimed maritime materials is rooted in a lifetime spent on the water. Growing up on fishing boats with my father and grandfather, I developed an early appreciation for the rhythms of the sea and the culture that surrounds it. Today, with many of my close friends working as captains, that connection continues to shape both my life and my practice. Time spent in marinas and aboard working vessels has taught me to see weathered wood, sailcloth, rope, and metal not as discarded materials, but as objects carrying stories of labor, resilience, and exploration.
Using reclaimed maritime materials is both a personal and conceptual decision. It reflects my connection to the sea, honors the legacy of the people who worked with these materials, and promotes sustainability by extending their lifecycle. These elements have become essential to my practice, allowing me to create works that bridge abstraction, material history, and the enduring relationship between people and the ocean.
Andrew Arocho. Encounters, 2026. Acrylic, Oil pastel, Ink, Sail Material & Concrete on Canvas.
47 × 40 in.
2. What is the most important part to you in your artistic process?
The most important part of my artistic process is exploration. I approach each work without a predetermined destination, allowing the painting and materials to guide the direction of the piece. While I may begin with an intention, I value the unexpected moments that emerge through experimentation, layering, and responding to what is happening in front of me.
This process mirrors the idea of The Voyage. Just as no journey unfolds exactly as planned, I believe the strongest work comes from remaining open to uncertainty and discovery. Rather than trying to control every outcome, I embrace the detours, revisions, and imperfections that become part of the work's history.
Andrew Arocho. Setting Sail, 2026. Acrylic, Oil pastel & Cement on Canvas.
48 × 36 in.
3. As an artist, are there any ways you like to challenge yourself when it comes to creating?
I intentionally challenge myself by stepping outside of my comfort zone and allowing each body of work to ask something new of me. Rather than repeating familiar solutions, I experiment with scale, composition, and the relationship between painting and reclaimed maritime materials. Each project is an opportunity to push the work further, whether through new techniques, more ambitious installations, or unfamiliar materials.
Andrew Arocho. Blue Odyssey, 2026. Acrylic, Oil pastel, Ink, Sail Material & Concrete on Sail Material.
47 x 40 in.
4. Is there anything new that you have been trying to implement in your process?
Recently, I have been focused on expanding the relationship between painting and reclaimed maritime materials, allowing them to function as equal parts of the work rather than as separate elements. This has led me to experiment with larger-scale, immersive installations where paintings, sculptural components, and salvaged materials exist within the same environment, creating a more physical experience for the viewer.
5. What comes to mind when you think of August? Do you have any personal history with it?
August has always felt like a month of transition. Growing up, it marked the end of summer and the anticipation of a new season. Living in South Florida, it also brings long days on the water, intense heat, and the height of hurricane season, a reminder of both the beauty and unpredictability of the ocean.
Personally, August makes me think about preparation and change. It is a time to reflect on where I've been and where I'm headed, whether in life or in the studio. That sense of transition resonates with my practice, where I often embrace uncertainty and allow each body of work to evolve without knowing exactly where it will lead.
Andrew Arocho. The Passage 1, 2026. Water color, Oil pastel, Acrylic & Ink on Paper.
8 x 6 in.
6. What is impacting your practice at the moment?
At the moment, my practice is being shaped by a desire to work at a larger scale and further integrate reclaimed maritime materials into immersive installations. I am interested in creating environments where painting, sculpture, and salvaged materials exist in dialogue, allowing viewers to engage with the work on both a physical and emotional level.
Andrew Arocho. 36'SL, 2026. Acrylic & Rope on Sail Material.
48 x 36 in.
7. What work are you most excited to make next?
The work I am most excited to make next is a large-scale, immersive installation that fully integrates painting with reclaimed maritime materials. I want to move beyond presenting individual works and instead create an environment that viewers can physically experience, one where paintings, sailcloth, rope, and metal exist as interconnected elements of a single narrative.
I am interested in pushing the scale of my practice and exploring how space can become an active part of the work. Expanding beyond the wall will allow me to deepen my investigation of material history, memory, and abstraction while creating a more engaging relationship between the artwork and the viewer.