Hi, I’m Sandi

I paint the gardens, flowers and wild green places that stop me in my tracks. Working loosely in oils, I’m less interested in getting every petal right than in capturing the vibrant colour, movement and glorious unruliness of what I see. My paintings begin with real places and real flowers — and then I let the paint have its say.

I had wanted to paint for years. I collected how-to-paint books, but somehow I could never quite imagine myself actually doing it. What finally made the difference was watching an artist paint — seeing the process helped me believe that I could pick up a brush and try it myself. During the pandemic, when life suddenly changed, I found the courage to take the plunge. I began learning online, following painting courses closely and discovering, one painting at a time, how to make the pictures I had imagined making for years.

I’ve always loved the natural world, and painting has given me another way to enjoy it. I’m learning to leave room for the light, air and movement I find there. Much of my inspiration comes from the gardens and wild places of Toronto, especially High Park, where I walk, photograph, sketch and gather ideas to bring back to the studio.

I think of that world as The Wild Garden — the slightly unruly place where many of my paintings begin.