Sandy Bricel Miller
Watercolor and Printmaking
Sandy’s artistic vision is expressed through two different art media; watercolor and printmaking. Her work in watercolor is inspired by the natural world as she frequently paints on site “en plein air” to capture the light and subtle mood of the landscape. She has been painting “en plein air” since the late ’70’s when she studied with a group of artists in Provence, France. This journey was transformative as she followed the path of modern artists who came to southern France in pursuit of the unique quality of light. Sandy returned to Provence from 2013 - 2017 to lead art
retreats in Vence, where they stayed in a former home of Henri Matisse “Villa le Rêve.”
At home in the Pacific Northwest Sandy’s focus continues to be inspired by the light, palette and creative approach to art that was inspired by these travels. Her focus in watercolor is on Coastal Habitats, The Wetlands, Northwest Birds and Nests. During the pandemic, Sandy continued to teach and paint outdoors in Seattle and on Lopez. She also lead two art retreats to Abiquiu, New Mexico, following the footsteps of Georgia O’Keeffe. Both of these regions have influenced the development of Sandy’s color palette and approach to painting.
In addition to watercolor, Sandy is an avid photographer, stemming from a long line of photographers in her family of Slovenian and Canadian heritage. Her bold compositions incorporate dynamic chiaroscuro and fine details. She transforms her photos on the press through the process of paper lithography, a method of printmaking which results in subtle textures reminiscent of photographs from the early 1900’s. Sandy then builds deeper layers of meaning through the addition of chine collé, watercolor, and pastels. Sandy has developed a body of work in paper lithography combining the written word, musical scores, and personal imagery to create “The Lost Arts of Communication,” “Hand Portraits,” “Musical Impressions,” and “Matisse’s Window.”