Biographical Statement
I grew up in Wisconsin, graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and taught high school Art in northern New York for 31 years. I hiked, paddled, skied and painted in the Adirondacks for many of those years. In 2004 I moved to Saranac Lake so I could live in the mountains and be closer to all the places I love.
I paint in both oils and watercolors and my first choice would always be to paint outdoors, on location, (en plein air). When that’s not possible, I paint from my photographs. Experiencing the location – having a personal connection to it – is very important to me. The atmospheric conditions, the season, the terrain, and the “wildness” of a place are all things I try to include in my paintings. Equally important is the composition – I choose my locations based on what nature provides, but I also exercise artistic license in order to produce paintings of the highest quality. Lastly, I hope my wilderness paintings communicate a respect for the natural world that will inspire viewers to protect the Adirondack Park for future generations.
My mandala paintings were inspired by Tibetan Buddhist mandalas – which have been defined as “a graphic representation of the spiritual world”. My mandalas illustrate my spiritual world: the Adirondack wilderness. The geometric structure of the paintings can be experienced as a single entity, or each individual landscape examined as a unique work of art within the larger whole.
My paintings have won awards in regional and national juried shows and are included in the collection of St. Lawrence University and many private collections. Commissions are welcomed. My home/studio in Saranac Lake is open by appointment only.
I grew up in Wisconsin, graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and taught high school Art in northern New York for 31 years. I hiked, paddled, skied and painted in the Adirondacks for many of those years. In 2004 I moved to Saranac Lake so I could live in the mountains and be closer to all the places I love.
I paint in both oils and watercolors and my first choice would always be to paint outdoors, on location, (en plein air). When that’s not possible, I paint from my photographs. Experiencing the location – having a personal connection to it – is very important to me. The atmospheric conditions, the season, the terrain, and the “wildness” of a place are all things I try to include in my paintings. Equally important is the composition – I choose my locations based on what nature provides, but I also exercise artistic license in order to produce paintings of the highest quality. Lastly, I hope my wilderness paintings communicate a respect for the natural world that will inspire viewers to protect the Adirondack Park for future generations.
My mandala paintings were inspired by Tibetan Buddhist mandalas – which have been defined as “a graphic representation of the spiritual world”. My mandalas illustrate my spiritual world: the Adirondack wilderness. The geometric structure of the paintings can be experienced as a single entity, or each individual landscape examined as a unique work of art within the larger whole.
My paintings have won awards in regional and national juried shows and are included in the collection of St. Lawrence University and many private collections. Commissions are welcomed. My home/studio in Saranac Lake is open by appointment only.
SANDRA HILDRETH
6047 Sentinel Road Lake Placid, New York 12946-apointofviewgallery@gmail.com- (518)837-5124
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10-6, Sunday 10-4, Wednesday- closed.
