Sandra Stowell
Artist Bio and Description: My British parents moved frequently & emigrated to the US when I was nine. I have lived in three states, visited many more, and returned to Scotland & England for visits. This has given me a somewhat global perspective, but I usually prefer to stay close to home.
My grandfather was a painter & I loved to draw as a child, but I disliked art classes. Discouraged about art, I chose a career in computer science. I worked for Boeing in Seattle for 17 years. So 'making things' was limited to occasional weekends until I moved to Port Townsend in 1998. Hands-on house building was a budget choice, but it was transformational: I became a maker! I love my studio, where I have room to make and display my work. Here I surround myself with my art and collections of found objects. Making became daily work. My displays of natural & manmade scraps inspire me, and some items embellish finished artworks.
My art is a visual journal of experiences and emotions. I want to share my feelings as I try to make sense of a chaotic world. My subject matter may be clear, or it may be quite a mystery.
I am a mixed media artist using sculpture, photography, digital transformation, drawing, and printmaking. I use layering, texture, low relief, 3-D, light, and translucency. I save and reuse work as elements in new physical and digital collage. I use a computer, scanner, and printer in my work. I incorporate or transform drawings, prints, and more into new projects, for a rich visual history in new work.
I start without a detailed plan. I explore an idea & enjoy the element of surprise as I find my way to a finished piece. I try to balance a need for control, requiring skill and practice, with a sense of play and exploration. I don't follow trends in the art world, but I love to see the work of other artists. It is a delight when I encounter a new technique to help me express & share my visual “thoughts”.
I make molds & cast my small sculptures for reuse in new contexts. I especially enjoy working within boxes or repurposed drawers. My complex artworks may include drawings, paintings, prints and photos along with made and found dimensional parts.
Studio Address: 316 33rd St, Port Townsend, WA 98368-5023
Email: sjstowell1000@gmail.com
Website: www.sandrastowell.com
Instagram: ptartist6261
Medium: Mixed Media
Stairs: No