Val Sandell

"Like many in my profession, I am passionate about my art. My desire is to express my feelings about the visible world in the language of paint."

Ms. Sandell's love of traveling has resulted in traditional plein-air paintings of such beautiful areas as the Provence region of France, the wine country of northern California and the North Carolina mountains. A native of Kansas City, she attended Avila College and the Kansas City Art Institute, both in Missouri. After her move to Florida in 1974, she studied at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Fascinated by the works of masters such as Diego Velasquez, Jules Bastien-Lepage, Joaquin Sorolla and John Singer Sargent, she sought skilled artists/instructors who could impart the principles necessary to train the artist's eye. Ms. Sandell trained with figurative artist Allan R. Banks at his Atelier of Plein-air Studies in Safety Harbor, Florida. There, she learned the principles of representational painting handed down from the Boston School, named for some of the most skillful painters at the turn of the century.

That training blends naturalistic and impressionistic styles with a solid foundation in drawing, which is evident in her work. To further hone her skills in working directly from nature, she has studied and painted with nationally known artists Dan Gerhartz, C.W. Mundy, Matt Smith, George Strickland and Ken Backhaus. Ms. Sandell is a Signature Member of Plein Air Florida and organized Plein Air Sun Coast. She is a Signature member of the American Impressionist Society, member of American Women Artists and Oil Painters of America. She is an Artist Member of the American Society of Marine Artists. Her work has been included in such national juried exhibitions as the Salmagundi Club and the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, both in New York City. Past shows include the Art Association of Harrisburg's Annual Juried Show, Palm Beach Art Galleries' Annual International Art Competition (Best of Show), Florida Art Center National 100, Lee County Alliance for the Arts 2D-3D Show, Southwest Florida Artscape and the Naples Art Association's Art Encounter (Best of Show).

Recent national juried exhibitions and plein-air invitational events include: The American Impressionist Society's '05, '06, '07 and ‘08 National Juried Exhibition / American Women Artists National '05 and '07 Exhibition / Oil Painters of America '07 Eastern Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils / Boca Grande Art Alliance National Juried Exhibition, Boca Grande FL / Hilton Head Art League National Juried Exhibition, Hilton Head Island SC / CAC Biennial National, Punta Gorda FL / Cummer Museum of Art Ball~Art Exhibition, Jacksonville FL / "Paintout in Paradise", Venice Art Center, Venice FL / "The Nature of Art in High Springs" Invitational Paintout & Exhibit, High Springs Gallery, High Springs FL / "Forgotten Coast" Invitational Paint Out & Exhibit, Gulf Alliance for the Arts, Port St. Joe FL.

Museum exhibitions include: American Society of Marine Artist’s ‘08 New England Regional Exhibition~Cultural Center of Cape Cod, Herreshoff Marine Museum and America’s Cup Hall of Fame, and the Maine Maritime Museum / Florida Bienniel IV, Museum of Florida Art, DeLand FL / 15th Annual Maritime Art Exhibition '08, Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay OR.

The artist was invited by the Gulf Coast Heritage Museum to have a one-woman show inspired by Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, FL. Ms. Sandell was also selected to participate in the national 2008 San Luis Obispo, CA Plein Air Painting Festival.