Meet Sandra Neumann Wilderman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandra Neumann Wilderman.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born and lived in the Midwest until 2003, when I moved to Arizona. I knew I wanted to be an artist when I was drawing maps and creating covers for my reports in elementary school. After I graduated from High School, I worked as a freelance artist and studied at The Toledo Museum of Art. I returned to Illinois, managed an art gallery, met my husband and received my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Northern Illinois University. I continued working as a freelance artist and started exhibiting my art in juried fine art shows. I have been a full-time artist since 2000 and a teaching artist for the past 10 years.

Since 1995, I have had several solo exhibitions, which include the Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Intel Corporation and the Artlink Heritage Square Gallery. I have been in numerous group exhibitions. In 2005, my design, to paint a 10-foot-tall Fender Stratocaster guitar, was selected by Arizona Lottery for the Guitar Mania Public Art Project, a Fundraiser for the Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Central Arizona. Most recently, I curated an exhibition, Contemporary Still Life, which opens October 5, 2018 at the Herberger Theater Center’s Art Gallery. And I am working on a series of paintings for an upcoming solo exhibition, in May of 2019, also at the Herberger Theater Center’s Art Gallery.

Please tell us about your art.
I am a representational painter and work in watercolor, acrylic and oil mixed media. I recently completed a series of still life paintings, inspired by friends and family, that began as a way to honor the memory of my parents. The narrative paintings are about relationships between people, their favorite objects and nature. The compositions, whether real or imagined, include handmade objects, creatures with wings and personal symbolism. My approach to painting is to pour watercolor or acrylic and then paint directly on canvas or paper.

I find the spontaneity, the fluidity and the stylistic eclecticism of pouring paint to be a freeing and spiritual experience and it is through this process that I have found my voice. What I want people to know about my art is that I use personal symbolism to express my thoughts and feelings. My latest series of paintings, titled Circle of Life, is inspired by nature and the message is that all life is precious. The inspiration is Nature and the message is that all life is precious. I hope people take away that joy and beauty can be found in the simple things in life.

Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?
I remember when I was in high school, creating art that reflected the music, movies and politics from that time. Four months after 9/11, I developed my symbolic paintings, which include my Tower, Cross and Flag Series. And looking back, I was not the only Artist influenced by current events and issues. So even though the events and issues have changed, I do not think the role of Artists has changed. Given everything that is going on in the world today, I do not want my art to contribute to the negativity that seems so prevalent so I choose to respond in a positive way.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
People can see and support my work on my web site at www.sandra-neumann-wilderman.artistwebsites.com, by contacting me at snwildermanart@cox.net and at my solo exhibition, May 3 through June 3, 2019, at the Herberger Theater Center’s Art Gallery. I am represented by Gallery 28 in Geneva, Illinois.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sandra-neumann-wilderman.artistwebsites.com
• Email: snwildermanart@cox.net
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandra.neumann.wilderman

Image Credit:
Ivan Martinez, Neil Koppes and Nancy Utech.

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