Sally Strand of Telluride Gallery of Fine Art honored by peers

Brandishing her colored sticks, Strand teases the magic out of everyday objects and ordinary places/situations – train stations, restaurants, pears, a bowl of flowers, eggs, an unmade bed. The quotidian then becomes a placeholder for Strand’s real subject: catching the light as it changes from moment to moment. Although her work is representational, Strand is anything but a strict realist. Look closely at her color choices: her palette is there to create a mood rather than depict what is actually in front of our eyes. In a very real sense, Strand helps her viewer see rather than simply look. Strand once told Telluride Inside…and Out: “Success to me is when you can take an ordinary head of lettuce and cause someone to give it a second glance.”

Strand is being honored this month by Pastel Journal, celebrating its 10th anniversary with an “Artist Interview Series” featuring beloved pastelists who have been featured in its pages. Strand’s article is entitled “A New Vision..A New Day.”

For a sneak peak and more, click the “play” button on her podcast.