We are just two weeks away from DIMENSIONS 2015, the National Capital’s exclusive sculptural exhibit by local artists. Opening night is Thursday, September 10th at St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts.  The work of over 25 artists will be on display, including the clay sculptures of Sandra Marshall.

How long have you been creating?  My first ceramic piece was an animal made from lake shore clay and fired in a beach bonfire when I was a youngster. I was hooked then and spent many Saturday mornings at the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal drawing and painting, and most happily, in the clay workshop as a junior art student. While following a degree in architecture, I continued with figure drawing, painting and sketching. A more sculptural lean developed while working in a community clay studio in Montreal in the 70s and I continue to pursue my muse today.

What inspires you to do what you do?  My work is primarily figurative and I am drawn to capture the expression and movement of my subjects. Stories about animals and people inspire me. I love structural challenges in my medium. I enjoy looking for the shapes which expresses my subject’s action and emotional quality. I am also buoyed by a sense of connection with my audience.

Artist Statement                                                                                                                           I want to capture the spontaneous gesture and expression of animals and people in my sculpture. Raku firing and other finish techniques help to give ceramic figures a defining attitude. You may recognize the works as metaphors for human concerns. Details help to tell their story – the angle of the head, the curl of the lip, the expression of the eyes all feed my imagination.