The Life and Artistic Evolution of Sandra Blow
Born in London, United Kingdom, Sandra Blow was a prominent English abstract painter and a pioneer of the British abstract movement of the 1950s. Her early life was marked by childhood illnesses, including scarlet fever and rheumatic fever, which impacted her heart. After attending local schools, she studied at Saint Martin's School of Art and the Royal Academy Schools. Her journey took her to the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome, where she met Alberto Burri. The two traveled through Italy and Paris, and while Burri remained a lifelong influence, Blow eventually returned to the UK to establish her own artistic voice. She became a regular exhibitor with the Gimpel Fils gallery and eventually moved to St Ives, Cornwall, where she lived for many years.
Technique and Artistic Style
Blow's work is characterized by large-scale, colorful abstract compositions that often utilized collage and "poor" non-art materials. Her approach was highly tactile, emphasizing surface textures through the use of materials such as liquid cement, chaff, charcoal, and even tea to dye canvases. Her style evolved from early experimental works to a later period defined by simple, large geometric shapes and a greater use of color. In the 1970s, she collaborated with architect Eric Defty, incorporating geometric shapes among organic forms and increasingly utilizing square canvases. Her notable achievements include winning the 1960 Guggenheim International Award and being elected to the Royal Academy in 1978.
