S A NDY OS TR A U Standing Alone Together
Cover: Together Passing Green Fields, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 40" x 40" $6,200
SANDY OSTR AU Standing Alone Together May 20 – July 10
SGFA SUE GREENWOOD FINE ART 330 north coast hwy laguna beach, ca 92651 949.494.0669 suegreenwoodfineart.com
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S ANDY OST R A U
I
take scenes of everyday life-- people, places and activities-- and reduce them to their fundamental elements. I strip away the superfluous detail and minutiae of the moment in order to present each scenario in its essence. At a certain point, specific content is not that
important or even relevant, but rather what appears to be going on, creating situations that can be observed or contemplated in more universal ways. This sense of ambiguity or vagueness allows for a range of interpretations and assumptions, for viewers to perhaps add their own content, emotions or undercurrents,
overlaying what they think is happening with their own explanations. To heighten their engagement, I use texture to create a sense of dimensionality, a perception of three dimensions in two, thereby inviting viewers to "step into" each composition as if they were actually there, and to participate in their own narratives.
M
any of my paintings invoke feelings of solitude or even loneliness. The figures appear connected but often seem to be looking away from one another, absorbed in their own lives and stories, perhaps occasionally connecting, perhaps not, like strangers in the
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same scene. At other times, figures seem to be waiting for someone to arrive or for an activity to begin, anticipating a meeting or a reunion for instance. Whatever the circumstances, there's
ponder in our own unique and personal ways.
always an outcome awaiting discovery.
T
he ways I express feelings of solitude or disconnectedness in my open-ended plot
o much is unclear, uncertain and not possible to observe. Blending in the settings-- the trees, water, and other surroundings -- I translate my observations into paintings, which in turn become the stories,
stories we can either share with one another or
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he Northern California Coast has always been an important inspiration for my work. With plans to spend more time up there working, I’ve leased a beautiful studio space on The Sea Ranch. The surrounding coast geography will undoubtedly continue to
lines are based on my own introspective moments as well as on assumptions about
influence my work.
the subjects in my compositions. With my ever-present sketchbook, I observe alone, recording actions and interactions at a distance, working with whatever I can see, taking what little information is available and imagining the rest.
— Sandy Ostrau
So. Cal Pier, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 36" x 36" $5,400
Onto the Boardwalk, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 48" x 48" $7,800
Blue Chair Cafe, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 30" x 30" $4,100
Side by Side Walk, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 36" x 36" $5,400
Paths Through Blues and Greens, 2020 Oil on panel (framed) 42" x 42" $6,500
Burn Off, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 30" x 30" $4,100
Morning Mist, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 30" x 30" $4,100
Pier Walk, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 48" x 60" $9,000
Yellow Pathway, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 36" x 36" $5,400
Bayfront Boardwalk, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 40" x 40" $6,200
Passing Ship, 2020 Oil on panel (framed) 42" x 42" $6,500
Blue-Gray with Sunglow, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 48" x 48" $7,800
Distant Pier, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 30" x 40" $5,300
Open Horizon, 2020 Oil on panel 38" x 36" $5,600
Reaching the Sea, 2020 Oil on canvas (framed) 30" x 30" $4,100
High Sierra Trail, 2020 Oil on panel (framed) 20" x 20" $2,800
Beach Strider, 2020 Oil on panel (framed) 12" x 12" $1,100
Field to Sea, 2020 Oil on panel (framed) 12" x 12" $1,100
Figure by Pier, 2020 Oil on panel (framed) 12" x 12" $1,100
Girl with Orange, 2020 Oil on panel (framed) 12" x 11" $1,100
“Art is the elimination of the unnecessary.” — Pablo Picasso
Back Cover Natural Spaces, 2020 Oil on panel 46" x 46" $7,200