“At times it’s trees that demand my attention, then animals, clouds, or water, and then back to the trees. I want to maintain the freedom to paint what I am led to paint, and in which medium, and or style, I choose to paint it in.” When Sandy moved to Santa Fe from San Diego in 2000, she stopped oil painting for awhile to develop a multi-layered acrylic and glaze technique. Her resulting abstract paintings were extremely well received and collected. Today, Sandy is back to the oil medium she used for many years as an award winning California painter. Sandy’s landscapes are rich with color and texture. Clouds, water, and strong verticals, such as those found in Aspen trees, all are luminous and appear to glow from within. “It is always about color and creating that magic moment when two or more colors vibrate against each other. That compelling force draws the viewer in, perhaps evoking a memory of a transient moment once seen.” Although born in California, Sandy grew up in Denver where she married at 17 and then moved to San Diego. For some years she managed to do it all as mother, nurse, and a painter in the evenings. She studied art with a number of renowned California landscape artists. Before moving to Santa Fe, Sandy had been honored for her oil paintings by California organizations like the Fallbrook Art Association and Escondido Art Association, which gave her Best of Show awards for her landscapes. Once in Santa Fe, Sandy worked part time as an RN at St. Vincent Hospital until 2002 when she decided the time had finally come to paint full time. Exhibitions:2010 Gallery at 822 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 2010 Fairhaven Originals Gallery, Bellingham, WA 2009 The Edge Gallery, "Open Hands, Open Hearts", invitational show 2009 Peterson-Cody Gallery, "New Mexico Art Journey" exhibition and book signing 2009 Gallery at 822 Canyon Road, Santa Fe,NM 2009 Grimshaw Fine Art, Taos, NM 2008 Gallery at 822 Canyon Road, Santa Fe,NM 2008 Grimshaw Fine Art, Taos, NM 2007 Gallery at 822 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 2006 Waxlander Gallery, Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 2005 St. John’s College, invitational show, Santa Fe, NM 2005 Crossroads Contemporary Art Gallery, Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 2005 FOCA (Friends of Contemporary Art), juried show, Santa Fe, NM 2005 Suzanne Craver Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM 2004 Plaza Arts, Santa Fe, NM 2004 Studios Gallery Contemporary Art of New Mexico, Traditions Algodones, NM 2004 Camino Real Interiors, Traditions, Algodones, NM 2004 Celebration of Clay, juried show, Santa Fe, NM 2003 Feats of Clay, juried show, Albuquerque, NM 2002 Santa Fe Clay Guild, Santa Fe, NM 2000 IDEX Art Doll Show, San Francisco, CA 1999 Pauma Valley Country Club, juried art show, Pauma Valley, CA 1998 Fallbrook Art and Cultural Center, juried art show, Fallbrook, CA 1998 Escondido Fine Art Gallery, Escondido, CA 1997 Brandon Gallery, Fallbrook, CA 1996 Fallbrook Art Association, juried art show, Fallbrook, CA 1995 Valley Center Art Association, juried art show, Valley Center, CA 1994 Temecula Fine Art Gallery, Temecula, CA 1990 Southern California Expo, juried show, Del Mar, CA
Education:Associate of Arts Degree, Mesa College, San Diego, Ca. Associate of Science Degree, Nursing, Art studies with numerous highly recognized Southern California and Santa Fe, New Mexico artists
Selected Publications:Acrylic Innovation, 64 Visionary Artists Art Journey, New Mexico, 104 Painters' Perspectives Western Art Collector, May 2009 Southwest Art, July 2008 Focus Magazine, April/May 2006
Awards:American Association of University Women Fallbrook Art Association-Best of Show Escondido Art Association-Best of Show Valley Center Art Association-Best of Show Southern California Expo -People's Choice Award Pauma Valley-Best of Show Fallbrook Art and Cultural Center-2nd Place and honorable mention
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Artists often become known for painting one particular theme. New Mexico painter, Sandy Keller, has a growing reputation for finding focus within many subjects. “I tend to lean to particular elements, returning to them in cycles.” Sandy’s eye for things of beauty will not allow her to be pinned to one subject.