Sandra MacGillivray

{"Id":8851,"Name":"Sandra MacGillivray","Biography":"\u003Cp\u003EWHO AM I? I am a Canadian artist with a passion for figurative art. I first knew I would become an artist at a very young age, being severely dyslexic. I drew what I could not put into words. Back when I was a child people didn\u0026rsquo;t know about dyslexia so drawing storyboards for essays usually got me into trouble with the teachers. One day a librarian handed me an art book that featured the artist Escher and... finally I knew that there was a place for me in the world. His images of optical illusion and different approaches to viewing things were how my mind worked. His flip-flops of images are how I saw letters, numbers and images. I started to draw things with perspective but then began drawing the objects I saw flipped to challenge myself. In my teen years, I put colour to my drawings and would spend my time travailing on the subway back and forth to school, not reading like everyone else but rather sketching people on the train. I would draw their faces, daydreaming, thinking, sleeping, and hands grabbing poles, hands clutching purses I love my traveling time with pen and pad. I dabbled\u0026nbsp;a bit with painting and that came so easily to me, I knew that this was what I was meant to do. However, coming from a traditional middle-class family a career path as an artist was not an option for me. So I channelled my love of drawing into studying technical Illustration at Sheridan College in Ontario which led me to a well-paying career in advertising. I then spent the next 25 years in advertising and design.\u0026nbsp;I was very successful and enjoyed the work, however, I felt that I was always pushing down my desire to paint. Finally, I decided to listen to my heart and pick up a brush\u003C/p\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHOW I WOULD\u0026nbsp;DESCRIBE MY\u0026nbsp;WORK. I paint in a realistic style pulling on texture, colour and lighting to create and tell a story, asking the viewer to stop for a moment and wonder why the piece was created. To engage with the viewer is always my goal. Otherwise, it is just to paint on canvas.\u0026nbsp;The message I try to send to the viewer is the beauty or feeling created in a moment in time; to freeze a moment into your mind\u0026rsquo;s eye what your physical eye sees.\u0026nbsp;I listen to my\u0026nbsp;inner voice. It knows what the painting should become. so I paint what i\u0026nbsp;love; tand it\u0026nbsp;always seems to resonate with the viewer.\u003C/p\u003E","Awards":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026middot; 2022 American Art Award 4x Winner - Abstract impressionism 1st place Expression Figure1st place \u0026middot; Humour 2nd Place \u0026middot; Acrylic/Figure 5th place \u0026middot; 2022 Camel Back Galleler\u0026rsquo;s Figurative international painting Competition Bronze Award \u0026middot; 2022 Portrait Society of Canada Canadian OnLine Portrait Gallery \u0026middot; 2022 Art Show International Gallery 4th Portrait -Talent Prize Award \u0026middot; 2022 Global Conclave Portrait Painting October Certificate of Achievement \u0026middot; 2022 Boynes Emerging Artist Award 7th Edition Finalist \u0026middot; 2021 The Marketer Art Competition Special Merit Award \u0026middot; 2020 First Place American Art Awards Impressionism Human and Humorous \u0026middot; 2019The Artist\u0026rsquo;s Magazine All Media International \u0026middot; 2019 Art Competition Honourable Mention \u0026middot; 2016 First Place \u0026ndash; Artist Project Road Show \u0026middot; 2015 Top Ten McMichael Gallery Fall Show \u0026middot; 2014 Emily Carr Legacy Award \u0026ndash; Ottawa Art Expo \u0026middot; 2014 Featured Artist The Artist Project \u0026middot; 2012 Third Place Best in Show Lewiston New York Art Festival \u0026middot; 2011Toronto Outdoor Art Expo \u0026ndash; People\u0027s Choice Award 2011\u003C/p\u003E","HasAlbums":false,"HasPortraits":false,"HasRelationships":false,"HasArticles":false,"HasDepictedPlaces":false,"HasLetters":false,"HasLibraryItems":false,"HasProducts":false,"HasSignatures":false,"HasVideos":false,"HasMapLocations":false,"TotalArtworks":18}