About

Hello there, I’m Sandra! I’m a small-town Virginia artist with a wildly green thumb and a penchant for all things salsa dancing. I thrive off cultural diversity and love to travel the world—from Italy to the Dominican Republic to Ireland and beyond! In my free time, you can find me planting zinnias and sunflowers in my backyard, kayaking with my three teenagers, or trekking through nature trails with a sketchbook in tow, searching for early morning inspiration with my sweet German Shepherd pup, Ares.

I live by two approaches when it comes to creating art. Sometimes I go bright and bold; other times, I work in soft verses—poetic images with a subdued palette. Either way, Love and Energy are essential to my flow. For a deep dose of inspiration, I turn my heart toward the overwhelmingly simplistic beauty of nature. That’s where my art feels at home.

As a child, I fell in love with art when I’d look at my dad’s medical journals, which featured a work of art on every cover and an article about the artist inside. The marriage of art and science captivated me, sparking a relentless desire to create. Growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I hauled my sketchbook and pencils everywhere—to horseback riding lessons on the farm, to solitary trails, and even to the beach on holiday. This exploration resulted in plenty of dirty boots, grass-stained jeans, sand-filled floors, and traces of foraged rocks and shells scattered around the house, much to my lovely mother’s dismay!

After receiving my BFAs in Painting, Printmaking, and Communication Arts and Design from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, I initially worked with oil paints and exhibited my work in various Virginia galleries. Over the years, I also worked as an art gallery director, a textile designer, and an art teacher. In 2020, I discovered my passion for pottery at the Clifton Forge School of the Arts. Now, I focus on crafting functional pottery pieces that are well-made, aesthetically pleasing, and comfortable to use.

My purpose? Some people crave things; others thrive off experiences. My aim in life is to share my unique way of experiencing a deep love of culture, nature, and wanderlust in a fresh, positive, and authentic light through my artwork. Simple as that!

Interested in hearing more? Let’s connect! Feel free to sign up for my weekly newsletter with fun updates and my Sunday creations, all sent straight to your inbox. Subscribe here.

Want to see more of my work? Right this way! My private portfolio is designed for gallery directors and potential clients alike. It includes all artwork currently available for purchase or licensing. Please email me at sdenius@deniusdesigns.com for any business inquiries.