After being a devoted Army wife for 26 years and after retiring from her job with the Federal Government in 1999, Sandy has devoted most of her time to an art form that she truly loves. She began painting more than 30 years ago when she took her first painting class in oils. It was love at first stroke. When the family moved to Oklahoma, Sandy took her first acrylic classes from Gail Bonifay and has not looked back since.
She is an active member of the Nation’s Capital Chapter (NCC), in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and has served two terms as Membership Secretary, Nominating Committee Chair and Seminar Chair. She has also served as Virginia Public Relations Chair. Sandy was awarded her chapter’s highest award, the Founder’s Medallion Award, in January 2005 for outstanding service to her chapter. She has taught at many of her chapter paint-ins as well as chapter get-a-ways.
She also travel teaches at other chapters across the country. She has also taught at the 2008 and 2009 New England Traditions (NET) Convention in Providence, Rhode Island. Sandy teaches mostly Maureen McNaughton strokework designs.
Sandy also had an ornament displayed on the Blue Room Christmas Tree at the White House in December 2004. She, along with many other decorative painters, was invited to a reception at the White House on December 1, 2004 which was an experience she shall never forget. The event was hosted by First Lady Laura Bush who graciously greeted each artist and their respective guest and posed for individual photos. Most recently, she was one of six decorative painters who painted drum centerpieces that held topiaries for the tables at the 2008 White House Holiday celebrations. An article about this event was featured in the Spring 2009 issue of the Decorative Painter Magazine.
She is an active member of the Society of Decorative Painters (SDP) and has attended 17 of the last 18 national conventions. She teaches regularly at The Apple Tree in Springfield, Virginia. She has taught on numerous occasions at Painter’s Paradise in Claymont, Delaware, Shades of Culler in Frederick, Maryland and Steph’s Folk Art in Smoketown, PA.
Through the years, she has taken many classes with Maureen McNaughton, Betty Caithness and Susan Stamilio. She has also studied with JoSonja Jansen, Helan Barrick, Heidi England, Rebecca Baer, Margaret Wehking, Terry Cordray, Londi Rowley, Ronnie Bringle, Ginger Edwards, Andy Jones. DeLane Lange, Mary Jane Todd, Deanne Fortnam, Scottie Foster, Charles Johnson, Nancy Lenski, Pipka, Arlene Linton, Maxine Thomas, Bobbie Takashima, Linda Wise, Patti DeRenzo, Vicki Rhodes and many other national teachers.
Sandy travels to Canada a few times a year to further her studies with Maureen McNaughton. She also assists Maureen at all SDP and HOOT conventions. On occasion she team teaches with Maureen for special event classes where there are more than 50 students.
Sandy currently resides in Dumfries, Virginia, a suburb of the Washington, DC metropolitan area. She has two sons, Rjason and Tye and daughter-in-law, Adrienne, who live, close by. Her stepson Greg and daughter-in-law, Glenece, live a little further away. She has been blessed with five grandchildren: Zachary, Tanisha, Tamia, Emma and Isabell.