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My work is a combination of techniques.

Painting. Mosaic. Papier collé, Collage.

Every painting is an original I have created.

Every piece of paper is chosen purposely,

hand-cut and hand-applied; a junction

of paint and paper. Every work is made by recycling junk mail,

postcards and other paper ephemera that may have ended up in a landfill. Every work is inspired by something in my life, a dream, an epic poem, a legend, a belief, but mostly, my desire to create a beautiful image to share.

 

The meaning of the name:

 

Sandhi

    Sanskrit: संधि means "junction" or “combination."

Schimmel: 

    German/Dutch: means a white or grey horse, or a gray haired person. 

Gold

    Latin: ‘aurum’ means shining dawn. ‘Golden’ means doing right, “stay gold" means remaining true to yourself. 

 

I’ve never NOT been an artist. But, not in the prescribed way. Although I’ve studied, practiced, perfected, played, dabbled, experimented — all of it outside the “regular” art world. My work is a combination of long held interests. I don’t make art the way others do. My technique is self-taught. And it’s been copied [a lot] since I started creating paper mosaic portraits from junk mail over 20 years ago. 

 

Little Sandhi played the piano [perfect pitch discovered at 4]. Took ballet, made puppets and learned to paint with oils. And sewed clothes for Barbie. Both of my parents were extremely talented artists in their own rights.

 

Slightly older Sandhi ditched the classics to play rock music. Learned how to do needlework. Switched to drawing shoes and dresses. My drugs of choice were art galleries and museums. 

 

Bigger Sandhi went to college for oceanography but degreed in psychology. Because I discovered I am “gifted” with Eidetic Imagery. I was a “guinea pig” [studied] and a paper outlining my case was presented at the APA. by Dr. Michael Siegel. And acted in plays. And painted [acrylics]

 

After college, my MFA career careened into a ditch. I could not select a discipline. I dabbled in Pottery, Textile Design, Jewelry, Metal Work, anything but painting.

 

As an adult, I had many careers. Portrait Painter, Designer of Needlepoint. Designer of T-shirts. Maker of Jewelry, Visual Merchandiser, Set Designer, Florist, Marketing Director, Creative Director, Communications, Chief Information Officer…and Artist. 

 

My mind and imagination are very active. I research. I continue to learn. I talk too much, but not when I am creating. Thoughts, ideas, memories, dreams and concepts fire synapses in my brain…which end up on canvas.

 

I select images that speak to me from their eyes. I react to their imaginary being. I draw, paint and cover the painting in paper. I’ve been doing this so long, I don’t have to think about it, I’m in that flow. As I work, I improvise. I am not attached to any outcome, therefore, I am free to change anything while I work. I’m not “finished” until I’m finished. I am usually deeply in love with my work, and emotionally connected. If I don’t like something, I will rip it apart and change it. 

 

Some are loose, some are tightly controlled. There is texture, structure, color. Everything I create reflects a time and place in my life. I have lived in many states, have traveled extensively in a physical and in a spiritual sense.

 

The women or men I “paint” are a cast of characters in a movie that will never be made. They all have a back-story. And theme music. The abstracts are sparked by a time or place, or a dream. I constantly experiment and grow. I am not tied to any particular thing. Whether I paint or braid old shirts or glue old jewelry on a frame, or string beads… it’s all the same to me. But nothing is the same. I don’t repeat myself. 

 

All of the work here is for sale. Please email me at artist@schimmelart.com to inquire about pricing.