Artist Statement
Having grown up on a farm in rural Saskatchewan, the muted colours, expansive skies and calm stillness of the prairie landscape have had a strong impact on my artistic inspiration. Despite being surrounded by majestic mountains, lush forests and the vivid colours of the West Coast, it’s the quiet, unassuming and simple beauty that speaks to me. I tend to find beauty in unexpected places such as abandoned chairs and buildings, classic cars in front of heritage homes, and geometric forms in architecture, which are all common subjects in my photography. My paintings of unique houses, cars and furniture are often inspired by my photography. In my series of chair paintings, the inherent personality of the chair is emphasized by the wallpaper landscape that it occupies. Rather than depicting the chair within a room, the chair stands alone, encapsulating its form over function. I hope the viewer may resonate with the individual personality of each chair and appreciate the simple beauty of an everyday object.
Biography
Erica Sandberg is an artist living in New Westminster, BC. While she has enjoyed making art her whole life, since moving to this city she has begun to take her art more seriously by enrolling in classes to learn new techniques and connect with other local artists. She has a love for photography, and three years of backpacking around the world with very little money to spend on film for her camera forced her to be very intentional with the photos she took, which she believes helped her develop a good eye for composition. Urban sketching, life drawing, watercolour, printmaking and collage are other artistic avenues she enjoys. In the last couple of years, she has developed a passion for oil painting; a new medium for her. Presently, she is part of a photography club and is a member of the New West Artists society.
Instagram: @ericasandbergart