||| FROM WENDY HENDRICK HIESTER |||
Andrea Hendrick
Andrea Hendrick passed away peacefully at home on Orcas Island on June 10, 2021. Andrea was raised on the East Coast and went to art school at Syracuse University and George Washington University. She married Hugh Hendrick. Andrea and Hugh spent the Korean War in Germany, taking the opportunity to travel extensively through Europe, before returning to move West to Seattle where they started a family.
In the early 1960s, Andrea and Hugh moved to the Bay Area, living in Marin County and Palo Alto. While vacationing on Orcas Island in 1996, Andrea and Hugh were swept off their feet by the natural beauty, cultural offerings, and people of Orcas Island and purchased a house before leaving the island. They returned to Orcas Island the following summer as permanent residents. Andrea is survived by two daughters, Wendy Hiester (Andy) and Erica Bee; and is survived by grandchildren Liz, James, Eve, and Caleb; and great-grandchildren Noah and Silas. She is predeceased by husband Hugh.
Andrea was always an artist from the time she spent Sunday afternoons at the age of six copying the paintings of horses in the National Gallery while her parents, Carl and Hertha Lienau listened to chamber music in the garden courtyards. Political and social satire replaced horses as the main subject of her paintings, which were exhibited in private galleries as well as museums including the Corcoran in Washington, D.C. and in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Legion of Honor Museum, the Oakland Museum, the San Jose Museum and Stanford University.
Andrea started a successful graphic design business in Palo Alto. Her favorite work was designing and illustrating books, including for Stanford University. She won numerous design awards including the Benjamin Franklin Award for the Most Beautiful Book of the Year and the Bookbuilders West Book best of Show in 1991 for Poetry from the Amicus Journal. Andrea designed and illustrated materials for the Peninsula Open Space District as well as other educational and environmental organizations. Andrea received first place in national competitions for annual reports – for the Peninsula Open Space Trust and the Compton Foundation. Her packaging designs and labels for gourmet foods have been awarded first prizes at the National Fancy Foods Show.
Andrea is known on Orcas Island for her participation at Orcas Center with the Visual Arts Committee and loved being involved in the wonderful Orcas activities. Many people have enjoyed her politically oriented coloring books, and copies of the special children’s books she created for her grandchildren. Andrea’s last two books featured Octopuses at the request of her great-grandchildren.
Andrea was a supporter of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival and would appreciate any memorial donations be directed to supporting fine music. A family celebration of life will be held at a later time.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
She was a grand lady and it was my pleasure to know her and Hiugh !
I would have loved to know her. I only was able to enjoy her art, especially in her Trump-ish Coloring Book. A truly fun and pointed satire.
Andrea was a richly talented, brilliantly productive woman and friend. She deeply cared about this country and our democracy, was politically active with her paintings and with her writings . She was an avid reader, a deep thinker, and she had a fine sense of humor. She was generous and supportive of others. I do certainly miss the light I felt in her presence, and the kindness in her friendship.
I am so saddened to learn of Andrea’s passing. She was a good friend and supporter of many artistic, cultural and political interests we both shared. A wonderful, generous spirit.
I loved Andrea and her long-time sidekick, Ruthie–both of them were creative, fun, funny, artistic, and full to the brim with life and compassion.
I am so sad to hear of Andrea’s passing. She was absolutely a touchstone during my tenure on the school board. For every bond or levy we were trying to pass, Andrea would attend meetings to give support — or to lend helpful advice as to why we were missing the mark. Her passion for our schools…for our community was relentless. She was smart as a whip — and funny as heck. I will miss her tremendously and send my heartfelt condolences to her family.
Sarah and I had the good fortune to share great friendships with both Andrea and Ruthie. The world is a better place for both of them.
Andrea and I really enjoyed sharing a first name and having great chats about art and politics…always sprinkled with good humor. She had an honored spot in the Island’s cast of characters, and I will miss her.
I will miss Andrea, her humor and her art!!! (along with Hugh!)
Sometime in the previous decade I had the entertaining honor of working with what I referred to as the ‘three amigas’ — Mary Poletti, Ruthie Newman and Andrea Hendrick. The three of them had banded together to write a play, appropriately titled, as I remember, “The Disconnect.” The play about technology was a hoot, but it was the ‘three amigas’ that most entertained me. The three of them were so delightful as a team that I purposely never learned who was who – just the beloved ‘three amigas.’
It was my pleasure to work with and learn from Andrea during my years on the OC Visual Art Committee. Condolences to Erica and family.