Bio/CV
Sandra is an interdisciplinary artist who works across a broad range of practices, including cut paper, painting, murals, community art, and social practice. Her work has been exhibited at SOFA New York, Ann Nathan Gallery in Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art in St. Louis, Missouri, The Studios of Key West in Key West, Florida, and National Amazon University in Puerto Maldonado, Peru. Her work is included in the Howard Tullman Collection, The Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland, Oregon, and several private collections. She was awarded artist residencies at The Studios of Key West, Florida; Rogers Art Loft in Las Vegas, Nevada; Arquetopia, Puebla, Mexico; the Contemporary Crafts Museum in Portland, Oregon; and with the Amazon Conservation Association in Madre de Dios, Peru. Recognition for her work includes a Mayor’s Art Award, thirteen Parents Association Awards for Contributions to Students, a Hixson Lied Award for Senior Faculty Achievement in Research and Creative Activity, a Hixson-Lied Curriculum Development Award, and two Hixson-Lied Awards for Outreach, Engagement, and Service. She is a CoPI on the transdisciplinary Grand Challenge grant RISE With Insects. Sandra is the Visual Arts Chair for the Southwest Popular/American Culture Association.
Her most recent work contains variations on the theme of ecotone, the area where two communities meet and integrate. Traditionally, the term refers to ecological communities, such as the zone where the plains and desert meet the rainforest and the biodiversity that occurs there. Yet it can also refer to the zone where “nature” and “culture” intersect—where the city meets the preexisting natural environment and the tension resulting from this intersection. It may also refer to a metaphorical overlapping of narrative and place.
Additional work includes social practice projects that range from working with incarcerated populations on the improvement and development of soft goals to large scale events engaging 800-1500 community members on activities that mainstream marginalized populations.
Notable Achievements
2024, Hixson Lied Award for Senior Faculty Achievement Award in Research and Creative Activity
2023, Rogers Art Loft Artist in Residence, Las Vegas, Nevada
2023, Hixson-Lied Award for Innovation in Curriculum Development
2022, Arquetopia Honors Alumni Residency Program, Puebla, Mexico
2020, Artist in Residence, The Studios of Key West, Key West, Florida
2020, Artist in Residence, Arquetopia, Puebla, Mexico
2020, Artist in Residence, Bilpin International Ground for Creative Initiatives, Bilpin, Australia
2020, Artist in Residence, Arquetopia, Puebla, Mexico
2020, Artist in Residence, Wayfarers, Brooklyn, New York
2019, Hixson-Lied Award for Outreach, Engagement and Service, Lincoln, Nebraska
2016-2018, Conference Director, Mid America College Art Association, Techne Expanding, Tensions, Terrains and Tools
2014, Artist in Residence, Amazon Conservation Association, CICRA, Madre de Dios, Peru
2010, Hixson-Lied Award for Outreach, Engagement and Service, Lincoln, Nebraska
2009, Mayor’s Art Award, Gladys Lux Educator in the Arts Award, Lincoln, Nebraska
1995, Artist in Residence, Contemporary Crafts Museum, Portland, Oregon
Solo Exhibitions and Installations
2023, The Studios of Key West, Key West, Florida, Eat A Peach
2023, Carnegie Arts Center, Alliance, Nebraska, Haunted
2021, Blanden Memorial Art Museum, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Anthropocene Blues
2020, Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney, Nebraska, Anthropocene Blues
2019, Len G. Everett Gallery, Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois, Wild Things: Nature and the Social Imagination
2019, Governor’s Residence, Lincoln, Nebraska, Losing Ground
2018, The Lux Center for the Arts, Lincoln, Nebraska, Wild Things: Nature and the Social Imagination
2018, EB White Gallery, El Dorado, Kansas, Wild Things: Nature and the Social Imagination
2017, Clayton Staples Gallery, McKnight Art Center, Wichita, Kansas, Ecotone
2015, The Sanford Museum, Cherokee, Iowa, Ecotone
2014, National Amazonian University at Madre de Dios, Peru, Ecotone
2012, Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, Texas, Manufactured Animals
2008, The Art Mission, Binghamton, New York, Dark Sky Preserve,
2007, The Art Center in Orange, Orange, Virginia, The History of Zero
2006, McHenry County College, Crystal Lake, Illinois, The Seven Mysteries
2006, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, Oregon, The Seven Mysteries.
2005, Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney, Nebraska, Better Luck in the Next Life
1996, Contemporary Crafts Gallery, Portland, Oregon, Five Stories
1996, Margo Jacobsen Gallery, Portland, Oregon, Life on Earth
Selected Group Juried and Invitational Exhibitions
2022, Annmarie Art Center and Sculpture Garden, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, I’ll Be There (Curator, Colleen Morith, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian)
2020, Clarinda Carnegie Art Museum, Clarinda, Iowa, The Iconic House (Curator, Anne Pagel)
2019, Assemblage, Lincoln, Nebraska, The Iconic House (Curator, Anne Pagel)
2018, Washington Pavilion Visual Arts Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, So Long, Farewell
2018, Salina Art Center, Salina, Kansas, Salina Biennial (Jody Throckmorton, Curator)
2016, Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney, Nebraska, Mujeres (Teliza Rodriguez, Curator)
2016, Encuentros, Yellow Barn Studio and Gallery, Glen Echo, Maryland
2016, Divergente ,Art in Buildings Gallery, North Bethesda, Maryland
2016, Abercrombie Gallery, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, Louisiana, 29th Annual Works On Paper Exhibition (Brooke Davis Anderson, Curator)
2016, Len G. Everett Gallery, Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois, Inspiration (Brian Baugh, Curator)
2015, Confluence Gallery, Winthrop, Washington, Mythology (Nicole Ringgold, Curator)
2015, Location 1980, Costa Mesa, California, Animal Spirit, (Tracey Moloney, Curator)
2014, Las Lagunas Gallery, Laguna Beach, California, Man’s Best Friend, (Ken Bolland, Curator)
2013, Las Lagunas Gallery, Laguna Beach, California, Animal Fables, Fact or Fiction? (Ken Bolland, Curator)
2013, Shy Rabbit Gallery, Pogosa Springs, Colorado, The Art of It All, (Michael Coffee, Curator)
2013, 4411 Project Space, Houston, Texas, Cultivated Artifacts, (Thomas Gregory, Curator)
2013, Flight Gallery, San Antonio, Texas, Sandra Williams and Lauren Faske, (Thomas Gregory, Curator)
2011, Mad Art Gallery, St. Louis, Missouri, FATE/MACAA Member’s Exhibition, (Jurors Martin Brief and Ronald Buechele)
2009, Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney, Nebraska, Academia Invitational, (Teliza Rodriguez, Curator)
2008, Borelli Edwards Gallery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 30 Years of CIA Ceramics, (Curators, George Bowes and Dierdre Daw)
2008, Convivium 33 Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio, 30 Years of CIA Ceramics, (Curators, George Bowes and Dierdre Daw)
2006, Shafer Memorial Art Galley, Barton Community College, Great Bend Kansas, Shafer Regional Invitational Art Exhibition, (Juror, Stephen Gleissner, Chief Curator, Wichita Art Museum, Wichita, Kansas)
2005, Shafer Memorial Art Galley, Barton Community College, Great Bend Kansas, Shafer Regional Invitational Art Exhibition, (Juror, Linda Ganstrom, Professor of Art)
2004, SOFA New York, New York, New York, Invitational, (Ann Nathan, Curator)
2004, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, The Essential X, (Ann Nathan, Curator)
2004, Bradley University, Heuser Art Center, Peoria, Illinois, Pigment: Contemporary Painting Invitational National Group Exhibition, (Pamela Ayres, Curator)
2003, Center For Contemporary Art, St. Louis, Missouri, Slop’s Art Supermarket, Traveling Exhibition
2003, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, Slop’s Art Supermarket, Traveling Exhibition
2003, St. Mary’s College, South Bend, Indiana, Slop’s Art Supermarket, Traveling Exhibition
2003, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Slop’s Art Supermarket, Traveling Exhibition
2003, College of Visual Arts, St. Paul, Minnesota, Slop’s Art Supermarket, Traveling Exhibition, (Adrian Hermann, Curator)
2003, Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney, Nebraska, RSVP MONA, Contemporary Art Invitational, (Josephine Martins, Curator)
2003, Studio Place Art Center, Barre, Vermont, Puttin’ on the Dog Invitational,
2002, Krempp Gallery, Jasper Arts Center, Jasper, Indiana, 9th Annual Juried Art Exhibit, (Claudia Hammer, Juror, Louisville School of Art)
2002, Leyshon Gallery at Laguna Clay Company, Byesville, Ohio, Bowl O’Rama, (Kirk Mangus, Juror, Professor of Art at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio)
2002, Sioux City Arts Center, Sioux City, Iowa, 58th Juried Art Exhibition, (Kevin Sharpe, Curator of American Art, North Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida)
2001, Kellogg Art Gallery, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, Ink and Clay, (Juror, Suzanne Baizerman, Curator of Crafts and Decorative Arts, Oakland Museum of California)
2001, Alder Gallery, Coburg, Oregon, La Petit IX
2001, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Eisentrager • Howard Gallery, Lincoln, Nebraska, Faculty Exhibition
2001, Worchester Center for the Crafts, Worchester, Massachusetts, Gone Bowling, (Melissa Figuerido, Juror)
2001, Core New Art Space, Denver, Colorado, Miniature Show
2001, Project Gallery, Wichita, Kansas, 8x8, Tiny works Invitational, (Ann Resnik, Curator)
2000, Sioux City Arts Center, Sioux City, Iowa, 58th Juried Art Exhibition, (Henry Adams, Juror, Curator of American Painting, Cleveland Museum of Art)
2000, Buddy Holly Fine Arts Center, Lubbock, Texas, Y2Klay, (Jaime Walker, Juror, Professor of Art At the University of Washington, Seattle)
2000, TLD Design Studio, Chicago, Illinois, The Mud Show, Juried Exhibition
2000, University of Nebraska Omaha Art Gallery, Omaha, Nebraska, UNL/UNK Art Faculty Exhibition Invitational, (Nancy Kelly, Juror, Gallery Director, University of Nebraska Omaha)
2000, PROJECT Gallery, Kansas City, Missouri, Tiny Works for the Millennium, Invitational (Ann Resnik, Director, PROJECT)
1998, Louis Friedman Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky, An Aura of Tea, (Rebecca Harvey, Curator)
1997, Contemporary Crafts Gallery, Portland, OR, Thirty Years: Artists in Residence Past and Present
1997, Gordon Beale Frank Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio, The Tea Party, (Moira Beale, Curator)
1997, Gordon Beale Frank Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio, The Quintessential Cup, (Christy Frank, Curator)
1997, Mark Wooley Gallery, Portland, Oregon, Flocking, (Mark Wooley, Curator)
1996 , Margo Jacobsen Gallery, Portland, Oregon, The Cup Show, (Margo Jacobsen, Curator)
1996, Folk Arte Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio, Hispanic Artists in Cleveland, (Salvador Gomez, Curator)
Presentations
2023 Southwest Popular/American Culture Association, Albuquerque, New Mexico
The Ravenous Feminine
2022 Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
Southwest Popular/American Culture Association, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Magic and Loss: Images of Indigeneity in Latin American Street Art
2021 Southwest Popular/American Culture Association, (Virtual)
The Collective Nature of Grief: Memorial Walls from the AIDS Epidemic to George Floyd
Grants
2022-24 University of Nebraska Lincoln Grand Challenge Award, RISE with Insects, ($138,405.00)
2022, Hixson Lied Creative Activity Grant, ($2,456.00) Magic and Loss, Images of Indigeneity in Latin American Street Art
2021, Hixson Lied Creative Activity Grant, ($6293.17), The Chimeras
2020, Hixson Lied Creative Activity Grant, ($6299.00), Anthropocene Blues
2020, Hixson-Lied Rapid Response Grant, ($1500.00), Anthropocene Blues
2020, Hixson-Lied Rapid Response Grant, ($1500.00), Stay Wild: Community Art in Kearney
2019, Peter Worth Faculty Grant, ($2998.00)
2017, Hixson Lied Faculty Research Grant, ($2500.00)
2007-2013, Hixson Lied Community Arts Grant, ($90,000.00)
2012, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Hixson-Lied Faculty Development Grant, ($3,000.00)
2012, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Woods Travel Grant, ($1300.00)
2012, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Hixson-Lied Presentation of a Scholarly
Paper Travel Grant, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, ($1200.00)
2011, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Hixson-Lied Presentation of a Scholarly Paper Travel Grant, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, ($1200.00)
2008, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Hixson-Lied Creative Travel Grant, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, ($2200.00)
2007, Woods Charitable Foundation Grant, ($10,000.00)
2007, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Hixson-Lied Creative Travel Grant, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, ($1800.00)
2006, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Hixson-Lied Creative Travel Grant, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, ($1249.00)
2006, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Department of Art and Art History, Woods Travel Grant, ($849.00)
2003, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Hixson-Lied Creative Research Grant in Aid, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, ($2500)
2002, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Research Council Grant in Aid, ($6022)
2002, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Humanities Center, Faculty Summer Support for Research and Activity, ($750)