SANDY SHEAGREN
I am a visual artist who has been drawing, painting, and writing since childhood. Although I paint a variety of subjects, I have a special interest in portraiture and the figure. At a young age, I developed a fascination for anatomy and the human body from the works of Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci. A career in nursing and some study of medical illustration give me a knowledge base from which to work.
In addition to rendering a likeness, I am particularly interested in how posture, body language, and color contribute to establishing a mood or feeling. Whether I capture the mood of the subject or my own mood, I want to validate the range of human emotions and how our bodies give messages about where our feelings lie. Rather than paint photorealism, I am more interested in creating a mood and touching an emotion in the viewer.
More recently I began exploring the effect of focusing study from a position that does not include the subject’s face and incorporated this perspective into a collection depicting women in a variety of settings, from formal to everyday. Through the diversity and mystery found in these paintings, I wish to portray the strength, beauty, and wisdom of women. “What is it That Connects Us?” and “Protective” are part of my series on women.
The Heart and Soul of Haiti series was inspired by photographs taken by friends and family who are involved with mission trips to Haiti through a non-profit group Little by Little. I am drawn to paint them partly from the stories of patience and endurance I’ve heard from those who’ve made the trip and partly because of the innocence I see in the eyes of the children. Gold leaf is applied to add an angelic quality and sense of radiance. I am unable to make the trip to Haiti myself and want to document their mission and story through my paintings. [20% of sales of these paintings is donated to Little by Little].
I have exhibited work in numerous group and solo shows locally and nationally, including the Chicago Art Open (IL), Woman Made Gallery (IL), Open Space Gallery (PA), Lemon Street Gallery (WI), the Illinois Artisans Program (IL), the Northern National Art Competition at Nicolet College (WI), Chowan University (NC), Brubeck Art Gallery (IL), Marilyn Philby Gallery (IL), the Glenview Public Library (IL), and the Ravenswood Corridor Arts & Industry Walk (IL).
I paint from life, photographs, or a combination of both. Preliminary studies for commissions are shared with the client to insure satisfaction with the finished painting.