Meet The Artist

​Sandra's artwork is primarily abstract and composed of intriguing layers, similar to the layers of her life. She specializes in combining beeswax and fire.

​Her work captures natural worlds transforming magical rejuvenations in providing a sense of place.
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BIO
Sandra is an artist and K-12 certified educator, originally from East Stroudsburg, PA., currently residing in Supawna Meadow Refuge in Pennsville, NJ. Her artwork is primarily abstract and composed of intriguing layers, similar to the layers of her life. She specializes in combining sunlight, plant life, beeswax and fire. Her work captures natural worlds transforming magical rejuvenations in providing a sense of place.
Sandra exhibits her work in competitive galleries, art centers, medical facilities and universities both locally and nationally. Her work has won numerous awards and is held in private collections. She is a certified K-12 art teacher and certified encaustic instructor with R&F Handmade Paints. Sandra conducts workshops at local art centers and in her Pennsville, NJ studio. She has served on several non-profit boards, supporting visual and performing arts and arts education.
Sandra received an AA from The Art Institute, a BA in Art and a BA in Education from Rowan, earning the Gates Award for Excellence, a MIT in Art History from Studio Art Center, IT as part of the Seward Johnson Artist Award. She furthered her education with a MAT from University of the Arts through university scholarships and grants through the Art Educators of NJ where she is an active volunteer. Her artwork has been shown in over 70 exhibitions.  
Sandra teaches secondary art education in Southern New Jersey where she wrote and received school grants, a Target Grant and an Artist in Education Grant, funding an anti-bullying mosaic mural. Her work was shared at the AENJ conference, published in ARTBeat Magazine, and later recognized through a Rauschenberg Foundation Power of Art Grant. In mentoring, Sandra collaborates with Rowan Art Ed. Dept. and Gallery in collaborative projects presenting them at conferences. She volunteers with arts organizations and has sat on their BODs - promoting art and education. Her passion has been recognized with the NJ Governor's Award; Guadadiello Service Award.

​STATEMENT
Encaustic painting, one of the oldest art mediums, captivates me both for its rich history and its pure, environmentally friendly materials. In my studio, the scent of molten beeswax fills the air, fostering a calm and centered atmosphere that deeply influences my work.
As an artist, I am passionate about abstraction that invites viewers to discover the artist's story. I employ mark-making to invigorate my paintings, combining organic materials like beeswax and damar tree resin to create luminous surfaces that seem to glow with life.
My paintings are built up of multiple translucent and opaque layers of encaustic, offering viewers intrigue and sparking curiosity. Through the meticulous layering process, I aim to convey a sense of time, order, and three-dimensional depth. My intention is to capture fleeting moments of beauty, balance, and visible stillness.
The order and characteristics of each molten medium layer determine what is revealed and what remains hidden, making my paintings complex and inviting further investigation. They merge inner and outer landscapes, creating a sense of calm introspection.