Andrew McInnis ’25 Envisions a Life of Art

Like most creatives, Andrew McInnis can’t remember a time when he didn’t love making art. In elementary school he began attending an afterschool art program where he learned to do woodworking and explored a variety of more traditional mediums like clay, painting, and drawing. “I broke my shoulder and couldn’t play any sports in sixth grade, so that’s when I got really into it,” he says.

He often features nature in his artwork. “I spend a pretty good amount of time outdoors,” he explains. “It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, I could be fishing, going to the beach, or biking.” Creating gives him a sense of peace. At Xaverian, there’s nothing he enjoys more than spending time in the art room listening to music and being productive. “It’s awesome,” he says with a smile.

He’s taken a variety of Xaverian’s art classes, including Visual Arts and Architectural Drawing. He’s also taken advantage of two of Xaverian’s advancement placement art classes. “Last year I did AP 2D Art and Design and this year I’m doing AP Drawing,” Andrew says. “Both years, my art class has been my favorite class by far.”

His talent has become more than just a creative hobby; he wants to study architecture in college. “One of my dad’s best friends is an incredible architect and when I was little he would bring me to some of his construction sites,” Andrew recalls. “I loved the way he designed houses.” When it comes to his own style preferences, he doesn’t hesitate: “I like when houses incorporate natural materials like wood and stone,” he says. “And black metal,” he adds. “I think houses like that are beautiful.” It’s become Andrew’s dream to design homes for those he loves: “I want to spend my career and my life making art,” he says.