Studio AMAC
Pointillist painter and pilot
It wasn’t until after college, while I was in flight school, that I began drawing in the ‘pointillism with words/numbers’ style and started to blend my passions for both art and aviation. A few colored pencil commissions from my dorm mates and selling prints for gas money in college quickly turned into bigger commissions featuring my pointillism style.”
Pointillism is the technique of using tiny dots to form an image. She has taken that technique one step further and uses words to create images. She calls it “pointillism with words,” creating layered meaning in her artwork, much of which is aviation centered. She is a passionate pilot who flies an Embraer Phenom 300 for TransMedics Aviation, an on-demand transport network that flies organ transplant missions. “During my CFII training, I was commissioned by NBA player Steph Curry to create five pieces for his NFT ‘2974 Collection,’ which remains a highlight of my art career. I have also donated many of my aviation art prints to various aviation organizations such as The Ninety-Nines, Women in Aviation, and Wings of Hope for their fundraising efforts,” McDonald said. “It wasn’t until I took a discovery flight that I realized flying as a career was possible. I enrolled in a local flight program in Mississippi, then finished my ratings in Denver. I began as a flight instructor then spent the next couple of years as a survey pilot. I flew Aztecs, Navajos, and Caravans and surveyed places I never imagined I would fly, including the inner seven nautical miles of the DC SFRA, in the mountains of Alaska, and the entire Florida Keys.” She has 1,600 hours along with her ATP multiengine, commercial single, CFI, CFII, and MEI. “My wife, Sofi, is a big factor in supporting my art endeavors. From critiquing and helping edit my artwork to website building, accounting, and more, she has done a lot to help get me where I am today.” 
Boeing-Stearman PT–17 “Kaydet”
“One of my favorite airplanes is the Stearman, which leads me to my favorite fun flight. A couple of years ago, I had the privilege of flying in my friend’s Stearman in California where we did some light aerobatic maneuvers. I created this piece by writing ‘PT–17’ many many times.”—Andrea McDonald
Growing up, I met many pilots, but I rarely saw women represented in those roles, which made it difficult to picture that path for myself at the time.
United commission
“In 2022, I was in my first flying job as a flight instructor in Broomfield, Colorado. One of my co-workers there was also instructing at the United Training Center. When he saw a United drawing of mine, he believed my art would fit well in their gift shop and introduced me to the store’s buyer. They commissioned me to draw six of their aircraft out of the specific model numbers: A320, B737, et cetera. Since then, those six designs have been for sale as prints, stickers, and magnets for all United pilots who flow through the Denver training center.”
I look for subject matter that expands my aviation portfolio such as key influential figures, warbirds, and modern fighters.
Amelia Earhart
“Amelia Earhart was a legend in the flying community. She spoke at many events and promoted the advancement of females in the industry any time she could. Her story lives on today as one of the biggest mysteries in the aviation world. I drew this piece using the words Amelia Earhart. Zoom in!”
After deciding on a subject matter, I pick out a word or number (such as a model/tail number) that highlights the subject. I begin the drawing by drawing a rough sketch of the subject and include the main guiding lines of the piece. From there, I begin a bottom layer by hand writing the chosen word/number. I continue filling in the details and shading/contrast by writing the same word/number over and over again in different directions until all of the details are complete. To finish (depending on the piece), I also include an under layer of watercolor to give it a pop of color.
P–51 Old Crow
“This addition to my aviation series is a tribute to the famous plane and pilot duo: the late Clarence ‘Bud’ Anderson and Old Crow. Bud, with his P–51 Mustang, Old Crow, became a high scoring fighter ace in his squadron during World War II. The aircraft is drawn with the words ‘Old Crow.’ Bud Anderson signed the original.”
I was drawn to aviation from a young age through experiences like airshows and time spent around military aircraft, along with attending NASA’s space camp in Alabama. Those moments sparked a curiosity about aviation that stayed with me.
F/A–18 Hornet
“I was in the process of strengthening my aviation art portfolio before attending Oshkosh in 2023 where I would have a booth for my artwork. The F–18 and F–22 were my favorites on the list of performers that year so I decided to draw both of those and bring them with me to the show.”
F–15 Eagle
“This piece is completely hand drawn out of the words ‘F15’ and features the Oregon Eagle artwork on the tail.”
A couple of factors A couple of factors go into how I choose the subject matter for different projects, including whether it is a commission piece or simply something that inspired me. For example, while I was flight instructing at BJC, the B–29 ‘FiFi’ was at the airport giving flights and I shared a parallel landing with that aircraft. Shortly after, I decided to draw it.
B–29 FiFi
“FiFi, a B–29 Superfortress, is one of two of its kind to fly today. It currently travels around the country with the Commemorative Air Force to give rides to the general public. To commemorate this historic bomber, the drawing is made out of the words ‘B29.’”
Bessie Coleman
“I created this piece out of the words “Bessie Coleman” to highlight a famous aviator who traveled to a different country to receive her pilot’s license, making her the first African American and Native American female pilot. Her ambition to push the envelope and stay true to her passion is an inspiration to female pilots across the world.”
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