Sudio #B4 Sandi Gardner

Sandi Gardner
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Sandi Gardner has been an artist for as long as she can remember. Before college, she concentrated primarily on painting. At the University of Texas at Austin, Sandi began working in metal and spent as much time as possible in the jewelry lab. She has a BFA from UT.

Sandi discovered the art of Sumi-e, or Chinese brush, painting in 1993 and has since embraced Chinese calligraphy as well. She has studied with Stella Dobbins, Hong Kong artist Ming-fai Hui, and Weihong, who currently resides in Houston.

Her work has been in individual and group exhibitions, including juried shows at the Watercolor Art Society — Houston, the Sumi-e Society of America, the Texas Federation of Fiber Artists, and Houston Area Fiber Artists. She participated in a joint show between the Sumi-e Society of America and the Canadian Sumi-e Society in Toronto, a group show at Houston Community College Gallery and at Slater Mill Historic Site in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Sandi’s paintings and calligraphy are in many private collections and she has had a number of commissions for businesses. Her work has been used in print media and internet sites.

In addition to traditional aspects of Chinese art, Sandi also brings her Western art and craft training and her knowledge of Feng Shui and yogic practices to her work. She has used fiber art techniques combined with calligraphy to create hybrid art pieces. Calligraphy is used in unique and unexpected ways, creating patterns of light and dark that are intrinsic in the characters themselves.

Sandi has recently been studying calligraphy with a master of Japanese calligraphy,
via trans-Pacific mail.