BIO
My primary focus is on light and shadow and how it affects the scene I am trying to capture. Much of my work consists of plein air painting directly from nature. Passages of rich color contrasted by toned down areas emphasize the effect of light in my work. My favorite subjects are close to home and in Northern Michigan. They include urban scenes, farms, fields, lakes, rivers and the shorelines of the Great Lakes.
Originally from rural Arkansas, Sandra has always loved the colors and patterns of the landscape from the rugged majesty of her birth state to Michigan's diverse environment. A representational oil painter and avid plein air artist her passion is to see, appreciate, and through her art honor the natural beauty that surrounds her. She believes in the importance of working in the chaos of the outdoors as well as the controlled environment of the studio. "Plein air painting gives me the opportunity to not only see color and light but also feel the environment and attempt to translate what I experience into my paintings. While challenging even daunting at times the complexity tests my ability to think things out."
Sandra studied Fine Art and Commercial Art at Wayne County and Henry Ford Community Colleges and worked as a Graphic Designer for the Library Network. To refine her painting skills she has taken various workshops with professional artists.
An award winning artist her paintings have appeared in numerous juried and solo exhibits, museum shows, galleries and plein air events throughout Michigan with several pieces in private and corporate collections. She actively participates in several art organizations. She is past President and former Plein Air Chairman of Ann Arbor Women Artists now Huron Valley Art Collective, an Associate Member of Oil Painters of America, Signature Member of the Great Lakes Plein Air Painters Association and Vice President of the Saline Painters Guild.