Sandi Lear
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
A recently semi-retired Physician Assistant and Paramedic of 15 years, Sandi began her journey with and all-consuming passion for watercolours in April 2012. A largely self-taught artist, she then engaged in various workshops and competitions exploring and gaining experience in her art. “The process of watching beautiful pigment and water explode with life on the rag, or sneakily insinuate itself in turn gently pushing, or bullying other pigments out of the way is deeply fascinating and utterly captivating”. Ongoing mentorship by noted artists, and heavily influenced by semi-abstract, semi-impressionism, Sandi seeks to engage the emotions of the viewer, to spark a memory or take them to a special place, painting with life and light. “Her work is dreamlike and highly suggestive, there is a lot going on beneath the paper’s surface”.
I won emerging artist awards and now my work features in private collections in Australia, the USA and Europe.
I currently have a year long exhibition in Tolga, Queensland, and am finishing up my solo exhibition at Hallidays Point, NSW on 31st October
ARTIST'S REASON FOR PARTICIPATING
A deep interest in endangered species & cultures, has led to painting work to raise funds and awareness for Living with Wolves and now Project Orangutan, being able to give back through art is an incredible blessing. We have so few left of the precious animals who share our planet, we have an obligation to redress the wrongs perpetrated on other species.
The eyes drew me in from the start. Seeing those eyes looking out between the bars encapsulated what it is to be imprisoned, not just in the physical sense, but metaphorically, I also felt an empathy, being an artist has freed something in me. Galang’s somewhat unknown story but his subsequent overfeeding with poor nutrition was also akin to our human problems.
GALANG
The Fluffy-Haired Forest Student with a Taste for Fried Chicken
Galang, a male orangutan rescued in October 2012, arrived at the IAR Centre in Ketapang when he was about two and a half years old. His origin story is murky, with palm oil company workers claiming to have received him from villagers who found him foraging in a garden. They kept him for two weeks, feeding him fried chicken and other inappropriate human foods, before handing him over to the forestry department.
Despite the odd diet, Galang was in relatively good condition—if a bit pudgy—and soon adapted well to his new life. His lush coat of hair drew a lot of attention from his new orangutan peers, who followed him around in awe during his early days in baby school.
Galang has since progressed to forest school, where he’s learning vital survival skills alongside other juveniles. He’s now more interested in foraging for natural foods than fried chicken and has become a role model for healthy habits. While still a bit fluffy, Galang is strong, social, and curious—key traits for a future candidate for release back into the wild.
