[Sandra Di Leo](https://spencegallery.com/sandra-di-leo-inventory) is an award-winning multi-disciplinary contemporary artist, with practices in both painting and graphic design. Her art is self-reflective — an introspective exploration of self-discovery and ultimately an intimate form of emotional expression. Her work is mostly influenced by the American Abstract Expressionists movement (1940–50s). She works solely in acrylics and paints non-objective art through colour theory and abstract expressionism. She explores life themes such as love, loss, transformation, and new beginnings. Her intention is to capture the emotion of an experience by implementing the fundamentals of colour and form and the principles of graphic design. She works with colour to create rhythm, movement, and depth. Her gestural brush strokes and signature black markings dance on the canvas to create a dynamic impression of spontaneity, energy, and motion which completes the emotional narrative.

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#### Tell us about your artistic practice. How would you describe your work to someone encountering it for the first time?

I am a multi-disciplinary contemporary artist, with practices in both painting and graphic design. My art is self-reflective — an introspective exploration of self-discovery and ultimately an intimate form of emotional expression. I paint non-objective art through colour theory and abstract expressionism, exploring life themes such as love, loss, transformation and new beginnings. 

The intention is to capture the emotion of an experience by implementing the fundamentals of colour and form and the principles of graphic design. Colourful gestural brushstrokes create a visual symphony as they dance across the compositions with my signature black markings; offering a deep sense of contemplation in the viewer.



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#### Walk us through your creative process—from the spark of an idea to the finished piece. How do you balance intuition with intention?

My artworks are a visual documentation of my life experiences. My creative process begins with an exploration of colour, I put together my colour palette for the intended artwork. The palette changes and evolves as I am painting but I use it as a starting point. I always have music playing in the studio, specific lyrics will often influence the work, bringing up various emotions. I pour myself into each composition, every artwork is very personal.

I paint intuitively, as I am pulled between the conscious and the unconscious of my divided self. As I connect to the piece, I explore the crossover between my past observances and the present, and translate these elements into my art. I start by silencing the mind and free myself of any preconceived notions — by applying the process of unlearning I am given a new beginning which allows me to interpret my experiences with the same free spirit as they were once observed. 



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#### What currently inspires your work? This could be anything—other artists, current events, personal experiences, or unexpected sources. 


My artworks are influenced by the American Abstract Expressionist movement (1940s and 1950s). I am inspired by most things, I try to keep an open mind and look at things without any preconceived notions, seeing the beauty in the simple things. Nature has a significant influence on my art, the way I interpret colour and movement are a result of my deep affinity to nature. This is rooted from my experiences with wilderness from my upbringing in northern Ontario and being one with nature since a very young age, it has been fundamental in my work and in my life.


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#### How did your relationship with Spence Gallery begin, and what has working with Joan and her team meant for your artistic journey?

In 2015, a friend and fellow gallery artist with Spence Gallery introduced me to Joan at an art fair in Toronto that we were both participating in. In 2017, Joan reached out to me and wanted to represent my work. 

Over the past 8 years, Spence Gallery has provided me with a loyal partnership. Joan truly cares for her artists, she has been a great source of support and has consistently provided me with guidance and feedback on my work after every exhibition, helping me grow as an artist. Spence Gallery has provided me with incredible exhibition opportunities and has actively promoted my work to a wide audience, giving me an international platform to showcase my artworks in art fairs all around the world.





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#### Tell us about your relationship with materials and process. How do you decide what to work with, and when do you know a piece is finished?

I work solely in acrylics on either canvas or wood, I like the flexibility that the acrylic paints provide, such as the quick drying time, lower toxicity and their versatility when working on various surfaces. These elements are key in my process. I know that a piece is finished when:
1- When I feel that the artwork is communicating the intended emotions.
2- When the artwork can no longer be improved in any way.
3- When all of the elements in the composition feel balanced and work together harmoniously.




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 #### You’re part of a roster of over 30 diverse artists at Spence Gallery. How important is artistic community to your practice, and how do you engage with other artists?

The artistic community is important, I have been fortunate in my career to have met some wonderful artists through various circumstances, these artists have become friends and a source of support over the years. Some of these friends are now located in various parts of the world but we stay in touch and each one has been a part of my artistic journey. I like to engage with other artists when I am in an exhibition or when a friend has an exhibition, I try my best to attend and show my support. I also like attending art fairs, it is an event that allows me to see a variety of work and speak to the artist directly.


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#### What are you working on right now, and what new directions or challenges are you excited to explore in your practice?

I have just completed a new series of works that I titled “Between the Lines” Spence Gallery will show it for the first time at the Affordable Art Fair in NY this September. This new collection marks an evolution in my artistic style as my most immersive and diverse body of work to date. In this series, I delve deep within, examining what is visible yet unseen, and the interplay of light and dark in my life experiences. 

I’m excited to see where I can take this new direction, my art is continuously evolving due to my own personal growth and life experiences. My work has changed over the years through exploration and experimentation and my desire for continuous learning, as I persistently push myself out of my creative comfort zone.



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#### If you could share one piece of advice with someone just starting to collect art or thinking about supporting emerging artists, what would it be?

My advice to new collectors would be that they should buy art that truly personally resonates with them, whether it is a work from an emerging artist or a seasoned one, the collector should feel an emotional connection to the artwork. Each work of art tells a unique story, talking to the artist and learning about the story behind the piece will make the experience more memorable, it will also be the start of a relationship with either the artist (or the gallery). Also, collecting art allows you to be a part of something bigger, it is not only a purchase but also an investment in creativity and culture.




Spence Gallery Featured Arist: Sandra Di Leo

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