Artist Sue Sands lives in the Worth Valley area of the district. She uses a range of art media, including acrylics, applique and mixed media.
‘Round the Corner’
From an early age she has been drawn to creative artwork, both as an interest and as a career. She says:
A need to be creative was always there, from drawing, sewing and painting to working with fabrics in various ways, sometimes technical and precise, other times free flowing.
Sue attended Bradford Art College in the 1960s, studying display part-time whilst working as a window dresser in Bradford. This led in 1969 to her being approached to make theatrical costumes for a Manchester theatre company, often travelling by train every week to drop off garments and pick up fabrics and other materials to sew at home, whilst looking after her baby daughter. Sue also worked on bridal gowns and various fabric design projects creating swatches for high street fashion.
During the 1970s Sue was involved in doing technical illusion for Decca TV and radio. She says of this time:
At the time this was a very male dominated field and I initially worked from home pretending the work was done by my former husband before Decca realised who was behind the illustrations and I was set on in the drawing office – as the first female technical illustrator in an office of six men!
In recent years Sue spent a year at Calderdale College developing her art education.
‘Farmhouse’
Nature scenes, including flowers and trees, feature significantly in her work and she has exhibited art at the Bradford Biennale and more recently at the Bradford Trapezium Arts Gallery.
She has said of her work:
I’m amazed by nature and am fascinated by the tangled growth of plants and trees when left to do their own thing. I often paint in a flurry of activity when trying to capture the feel of the growing life. I love the quick strokes of the impressionist painters which have been a great influence on me, particularly Van Gogh’s flower paintings.
‘Lavender Path’
Artist Contact: Art From the Heart of Yorkshire
‘Dandy Field’
(Above images by courtesy of Sue Sands)