

ABOUT THE ARTIST
sandra sedmak engel
FINE ART
A Maryland native, Sandra has lived in Baltimore, Md for the last 19 years. She holds a BFA with honors from the University of Maryland, and is very involved in many local arts organizations. While serving on the board of School 33 Arts Center as the Artists Representative, she was an integral part of initiating the Member's Gallery. She is an honorary member of The Creative Alliance in Baltimore, and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of The Rittenhouse Square Fine Arts Show in Philadelphia, Pa.
Sandra is currently teaching encaustic painting workshops at both art centers, as well as in studio.
"Until a few years ago, I considered myself primarily an oil painter-a large degree of my work is figurative, but also branches out into abstract landscapes. Then I discovered my new love-encaustic painting-creating images with melted beeswax and pigment on wooden panels. The process is so tactile and physical that I find it incredibly satisfying. The images take on a translucent, dreamy quality I've never been able to achieve with other mediums.
It is difficult for me to envision my work as separate from myself. It is an extension of who I am-a way to express the fascination I feel with line, color, and the human form. The process enlivens me, the results are calming and mystifying. Being able to share this with others is a gift I often find disconcerting....there’s an uneven balance between the joy of finding someone who wants to share their space with my art, and a selfish desire to keep it close to me. How does one explain why any artist feels compelled to create? "It’s just what I do to feel complete."