Sandy moved to Memphis from Indiana with her parents in 1947, where she married and raised her family. She was first introduced to oil painting in 1979 and has been painting since. She started in oils as a hobby, but has since filled a large portion of her life with drawing, oil painting, and sharing her talent with others. Her first instructor was Jewel Armstrong, whom she spent 3 ½ years learning the style and techniques of the old masters. From there she attended various work shops and began focusing more on the works of the Impressionists and their painterly use of color.
She was part of a local group of artist who went to France to study art history by touring Paris and the surrounding area, and with classroom instruction at the college of art in Angers, France. Since 1999 Sandy has devoted much of her creative energy to instruction and encouraging others who share her love of art.
She enjoys capturing the beauty of nature in her landscapes and still lifes. But her true love is the challenge of painting animals. Sandy says, “I’m not finished until the whiskers and the eyelashes are on.” To be able to help open a door to creativity and the beauty surrounding us in God’s creation is truly a blessing, and one Sandy tries to always appreciate and never take for granted. Gallery 32 and Jewish Community Center have had showings of her paintings, and her works may currently be seen at Palladio’s and Market Central in Memphis, TN. She has been a member of Fountain Art Gallery for twelve years.