Our Featured Artist is Sandy Williams IV!

Our Featured Artist is Sandy Williams IV.

Sandy is from Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is currently a student at the University of Virginia majoring in Studio Art. He is also an Artist-in-Residence at Mountain Lake Biology Station, where artists and biologists come together to observe nature in a different way (mlbs.org).

Sandy began drawing in the summer of 2013. Since then, he has been experimenting with different styles, such as sculpture, painting, film, and photography. While experimenting with different styles, Sandy found a connection with sculpture and film. In fact, he has recently declared sculpture and film as his concentration at UVa. During his time at UVa, Sandy has studied a number of artists, including Michelangelo, Andy Goldsworthy, Rodin, Ed Hopper, Ad Reinhardt, Kiki Smith, and Kara Walker. Each artist inspired Sandy in his most recent work.

"Most of my artwork is driven by a need to explore and understand myself, and how I relate to the world", explains Williams. After he was diagnosed with cancer in 2010, Sandy found comfort in art. He focused on producing art, which projected intense emotional expression. "For a long time I didn't want to talk about it. I had convinced myself that if people knew about my battle with cancer they would think of me differently or pity me, and I was also strictly against including any stories or motifs regarding those three years of my life, because I felt that it would somehow cheapen the overall worth of the work I was doing. Nevertheless, without my consent, those emotions slowly permeated my imagination, my thinking, and my art. I have come to realize that sort of personality, and the unique life experiences that I have had, are some of the most valuable contributions that I have to offer the world of art", says Sandy. 

Williams plans to continue to create artwork that connects him to his life and experiences. "This would include a study of ideas such as: dreams or aspirations and the fundamental importance that they have to our experience as human beings, the idea of human survival and the emotions that surround confronting our own mortality, the importance of isolation in our growth and development as individuals, as well as the importance of family and community", explains Sandy. Most importantly, Sandy strives to create a piece with a universal message. While his experiences in life may be different from a stranger's, Sandy creates work that has meaning and importance to any viewer. He does this in his "Undiscovered." work, "Lost", "Within Reach", Youth", "Voids", and "The Invention of Flight".

Visit Gallery Flux today to see the beautiful work of Featured Artist, Sandy Williams IV. We are open until 5pm! Don't forget! The show will end next weekend, so don't miss your chance to see this work in person!




"Within Reach" (top image)
Bronze
9 x 9 in
$ 400.00

"The Invention of Flight"
Plaster and Bronze
24 x 36 in
$2,500.00