Interview

Mar 16

Sandi Gehring

Sandi, an American born artist, left New York many years ago to live in Europe, leaving behind the fashion business.

She took this opportunity to take her love for art more seriously and completed a study of figurative art at the Wackers Academy in Amsterdam.

Sandi is currently living in Amsterdam and exhibiting her work in Europe. Her artwork can be found in private and commercial collections worldwide.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“My journey in the art world started when I moved from New York to Amsterdam. I needed to adapt to my new city, but the move also presented me with an opportunity to move from the fashion business and take a new path. I always enjoyed drawing and making things, but enrolling in the academy here in Amsterdam taught me the skills I needed to put my visions on canvas.”

What inspires you?

“So many moments, places and people inspire me greatly. But my biggest inspiration comes from nature — landscapes, trees, clouds, the changing colors of the season. I enjoy taking these images and turning them into abstractions.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“Themes or trends are not a part of my process. I work with diverse mediums, and they create their own themes within my body of work. The message or response I’m concerned with is more visceral. I am less interested in the specific content, since it usually shows up on its own. My work often evokes a calming effect, which I hope allows the viewer a moment of contemplation.”

“The shapes contained within the composition are intuitive — one shape informing the next; one color dictating what color will follow.”

How would you describe your work?

“My abstractions are compositions of bold shapes of color that are my interpretation of landscapes, tree cuts, and shadow formations. The shapes are the starting point, and the pureness of color is what creates the interaction of color and form within the composition.”

Which artists influence you most?

“The Color Field painters definitely inspire my work. This movement was less interested in brushstrokes and action, and more interested in large fields of flat solid color.”

What is your creative process like?

“I construct my paintings and drawings. I do this while still keeping in mind the balance between negative-positive, light-dark, large-small, and sun-shade. This direct approach allows the simplicity to stand strong.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“The role of an artist is to give a new point of view; a different way of seeing. My artwork is not an obvious or outspoken commentary on events, but it certainly is my inner voice expressing my thoughts and emotions about the moment.”