Watercolors by Sandra Schaffer, WHS, TWSA

 Artist's Statement

The Artist with her beloved friend Chai in their Kansas City home. 

Thieme-Custer Portrait/2009

I have always been a painter who emphasizes color, texture, detail, movement and the play of light on surfaces in my work.  My primary medium is watercolor.  I love its ability to make a painting "glow", in a way so similar to the stained glass windows I once designed.  I also appreciate the difficulties and challenges it provides, along with the reward of the finished product. The goal in many of my paintings has been to translate the beautiful colors, textures and forms found in third world countries in Asia and South America into works of art.  I'm often drawn to subjects that are "close to the earth", that display the dignity and beauty of these less Westernized cultures.  I've also recently completed a series which I refer to as "contemporary classics", in which I use classic cars to reflect their surroundings.  These cars both reflect a story, and become a vehicle for a story. Other subjects I find interesting are unusual ways of looking at familiar objects.  In technique my work tends to be very detailed with an emphasis on brilliant color.  The challenge has always been to find clean color glazes that create vibrant effects.  I feel the most important technical aspects of a work are those that generate dimension, depth and intensity. However, my hope is that the viewer will be drawn into the work and appreciate it as a whole.