Biography
Sandra identifies with the quote from abstract expressionist painter Joan Mitchell; "I carry my landscapes around with me." Indeed, the artist has spent a lifetime accumulating a rich tapestry of painted experiences that have culminated in a tranquil, luminous collection of work. "All of my life's journeys are in my work."
Sandra paintings and teaching philosophy was featured in The Hill Rag Magazine in 2006, Art and the City, Artist Profile: Sandra Warren Gobar; The Washington Examiner Newspaper, 2006, Artscapes Creativity blossoms at area classes, New York Cool.Com a Web Based Magazine in 2005 and the Chairman's Guild Newsletter, Corcoran Gallery of Art & College of Art & Design.
Before Sandra's trek into her painterly passion, she began her artistic career in Costuming with the Virginia Opera Association and with The Christian Broadcast Network's television show "Another Life". Sandra teaches, exhibits, and works in a myriad of media [oils, oil sticks, encaustics, pastels, fresco, acrylics, watercolour, charcoal, graphite as well as mixed media] and has been influenced by the likes of Camille Corot, George Inness, Hans Hofmann and Wolf Kahn.
Since 2003 Sandra has been a Studio Arts Faculty Member with the Smithsonian Associates. Her tenure with the Corcoran College of Art & Design and the Corcoran Gallery of Art spanned 8 years, which included 5 years as an Adjunct Professor, in the Drawing & Painting Department for the Corcoran College of Art & Design and the following 3 years as a Museum Studio Arts Educator and Administrator for the Corcoran Gallery of Art. In the Corcoran's Public Education Department Sandra collaborated in designing curriculum, exhibitions and programming, with The National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington Ballet, and the Levin School of Music.
Sandra completed advance coursework from Parson in Paris School of Design in Paris, France, Advance Drawing Intensives in French Architecture + French Interiors; Fresco Painting Studies from L'Accademia De Bella Arti Lorenzo da Viterbo in Viterbo, Italy; Post-Graduate courses from Old Dominion University and the Corcoran College of Art & Design. Sandra received her BS degree from Norfolk State University and completed the Teaching Lifelong Learning Strategies; Executive Functions in the Classroom from Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University in 2006. In the summer of 2005 Sandra completed the Artist-in-Residency Program in Painting and Mixed Media from the School of Visual Arts in Chelsea, New York.
Sandra paintings are included in numerous public and private collections national and internationally.
Teaching Philosophy
I am passionate about engaging the intellectual artistic realm where critical thinking, critical seeing skills,
creative experimentation, and instructional techniques combines the analytical and intuitive thinking of the
collective human mind and the creative spirit. Demonstrations, studio discussions, hands-outs, lectures
and critiques, are a few important aspects of my instructional approach; as well as investigations of
historical and contemporary masters and student's work serving as inspiration. I absolutely love teaching
its invigorating teaching all age groups and to somehow know that I have had a very small part in
challenging their painted tapestry of artistic endeavors! The payoff for me is that my students will continue
to expand their artistic reach well beyond my classes.
Artist Statement
"I am interested in the invisibility of the human existence. I take those things that are life and put it into my work. Rather than using mediums to paint with - I mix the paint that is before me, what life has handed me.
My work expresses the unseen not what is seen; it is beneath the layered painted surface that untold blueprint of pain experienced in the soul, what my physical body endures that is heightened on canvas. I paint to express what I cannot say"
Website: http://sand-warren-gobar.com
