By Anna Richardson

Published at 13:40, Thursday, 28 February 2008

Artist Sandra Hammer is bursting with vigour and passion – qualities dramatically reflected in her stunning artworks of grasslands.

Energy: Artist Sandra Hammer with some of her work on display at High Head

Her 26-piece pastoral ensemble, which goes on show at High Head Sculpture Valley, near Ivegill, tomorrow, celebrates traditional meadows, now making a return to the countryside with changes in agricultural practices.

“It’s such a constantly changing landscape, resilient, vibrant and full of colour, structure and form,” says Sandra.“I find the energy of the countryside almost frightening but it is so energising and this is what I try to capture in my work.”

Sandra, 60, explores the country lanes near her Corbridge studio, sketching the meadows as the sun moves across the sky, capturing lengthening shadows and darkening shades.

As a result, some of her paintings vividly reflect the oranges and reds of a midday sun while others are more muted, capturing early mornings or early evenings.

Influenced by abstract expressionism and painters such as the American Clyfford Still, a contemporary of Mark Rothko, Sandra works freely, throwing paint around the canvas.

By dripping, pouring, brushing and layering paint – usually oil and acrylics – her landscapes capture the movement of her subject, as equally striking close up as when viewed from a distance.

“I never make a conscious decision as to what a finished picture will look like when I start a new piece,” she says.

“It just evolves on the canvas, a throwback I suppose to the style of abstract expressionism of the Fifties and Sixties.”

Sandra prefers not to predict how onlookers will react to her work, but is thrilled when someone “gets me”.

“I would describe myself as a jobbing artist, I have no illusions about my place in the world, but I find it quite magical when someone stands before one of my canvasses,” she says.

“If they like it they go very still, and just stand and stare. I hope they are feeling what I was feeling when I painted it because I am not a recognition artist in the sense that you can identify a place that I have painted. It’s more about a feeling at a particular time.”

Sandra regretted abandoning art school in her teens for a career in retail management and, on reaching the age of 50, she plucked up the courage to ditch her day job for a place on a fine art degree course at Leeds Metropolitan University.

“It was dramatically life-changing for me, equally frightening and exciting,” says Sandra.

As an older student she had to adapt to a new way of being, of living and working alongside young people, often with very different ideas about life and the world.

“But the work was a great leveller and I did adapt although the funny thing about an art education is that they always want to change you.” she says.

“I always wanted to paint but I came out as a sculptor, working in 3D relief so I am used to working in big white open spaces. But the painter in me quickly resurfaced, although I think there is still a sculptural quality to my work.”

Other artists exhibiting at High Head from tomorrow include Nanette Madan, Maria Cooper, Jean Musgrave, Fliss Watts, David Hickson and the Sandra Howe Group. The show runs until April 22.

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk