Meet Andrea Zoppo of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Zoppo.

Hi Andrea, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My path into this work really began with the people who shaped me early on. My grandparents gave me a deep appreciation for community service, resourcefulness, and helping others. Both my grandfathers were activists and fought for social justice. My grandmother taught me to embrace childlike wonder, enjoy the little things, and to take special care of loved ones. Some of my earliest inspirations came from spending time helping my mom with her clown and entertainment business. It was a family affair with my dad and brother too. We got into so many interesting situations with all kinds of people and we laugh a lot about the clown adventures. All in all its about b, creativity, community, stirring things up, and being a mindful and caring human

As I got older, those values naturally led me toward community-based and nonprofit work. I spent time working with organizations like Hands On Atlanta and The Wylde Center, where I saw firsthand how art, environmental education, and shared experiences can bring people together and make a real impact. Those experiences helped shape my approach to teaching and creating , one rooted in participation, curiosity, and connection rather than perfection.

Over time, I began developing my own creative and educational programs that combine art, storytelling, gardening, ecology, and hands-on learning. I’ve led camps and workshops, written and illustrated children’s books, produced shows and created experiences designed to help both children and adults reconnect with nature, imagination, and each other.

Today, my work continues to grow from those same roots: creativity, community, and a belief that learning is most powerful when it feels personal, joyful, and connected to the world around us.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. Like many creative entrepreneurs, one of the biggest challenges has been learning to truly believe in myself and trust that the work I’m creating has value. Creative work can feel very personal, so there have been seasons of self-doubt and questioning whether I could realistically build a life around the things I care about most.

There have also been practical struggles like navigating an uncertain economy, balancing financial stability with meaningful work, and dealing with personal health challenges while continuing to create and show up for others. I’ve also wrestled with wanting my work to be taken seriously and respected, especially in fields like art, education, and community programming where passion is often undervalued.

At the same time, those challenges have shaped me. They’ve pushed me to become more resilient, resourceful, and clear about why I do this work in the first place. I’ve learned that success isn’t always linear, and that building something authentic often takes patience, persistence, and a willingness to keep going even when the path feels uncertain.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work lives at the intersection of art, nature, storytelling, education, and community engagement. I create hands-on experiences that invite people to be curious, collaborative, and imaginative, whether that’s through children’s books, nature-based camps, public art, curriculum writing, or large-scale community art projects.

One area I especially love is collaborating with other artists to create giant puppets we call the Giganti. These larger-than-life creations bring a sense of wonder, playfulness, and shared imagination to parades, festivals, and community events. I love the way collaborative art can break down barriers and invite people of all ages into the creative process.

I also specialize in developing curriculum and educational programming for schools that blends nature, art, storytelling, and creative problem-solving. Much of my work encourages students to think imaginatively about the world around them ,not just learning information, but learning how to observe, ask questions, work together, and develop creative solutions. That work was recognized when I received the PBS Early Learning Champion Award for innovative educational programming.

What I’m most proud of is creating work that feels meaningful and alive to people. I care deeply about making experiences that are accessible, memorable, and rooted in human connection rather than perfection. I think what sets me apart is my ability to weave together many different disciplines like art, ecology, education, folk traditions, community collaboration, and storytelling into experiences that feel both thoughtful and joyful. My work is less about creating products and more about creating connection, wonder, and participation.

Any big plans?
I am most excited about finishing my second children’s book, It’s Hard to be a Ninja! This story will be so fun to turn into an interactive show and educational program! Another ongoing exciting project is the event venue, Walden Peak Farm. While I work monthly in Atlanta, I am excited about the life I am building on Signal Mountain, Tennessee. We have an event venue that is growing slowly and organically to provide programming and a welcoming space for nature lovers. We offer berry picking by appointment to groups and families in the summer, we host a variety of concerts, and I provide farm to table summer camps pin July. Also, my artistic friends and I have grants in the works to provide more fun immersive public programs and you will have to tune in soon to hear about that! As for Atlanta fun, Ill be working with 2 schools regularly each month and Ill be providing family fun face painting services at Atlanta Pride at Piedmont Park on October 10th and 11th. Come visit!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Followladybug.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/followladybug/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FollowLadybug
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-zoppo/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@andreazoppo2986