“Like many in my profession, I am passionate about my art.  My desire is to express my feelings about the visible world in the language of paint." Painting directly from nature, Val Sandell’s landscapes, still lifes and portraits are evocative of 19th century naturalistic and impressionistic styles.

Ms. Sandell's love of traveling has resulted in traditional plein-air paintings of such beautiful areas as the Provence region of France, the wine country of northern California and the North Carolina mountains. A native of Kansas City, she attended Avila College and the Kansas City Art Institute, both in Missouri. After her move to Florida in 1974, she studied at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Fascinated by the works of masters such as Diego Velasquez, Jules Bastien-Lepage, Joaquin Sorolla and John Singer Sargent, she sought skilled artists/instructors who could impart the principles necessary to train the artist's eye. Ms. Sandell trained with figurative artist Allan R. Banks at his Atelier of Plein-air Studies in Safety Harbor, Florida. There, she learned the principles of representational painting handed down from the Boston School, named for some of the most skillful painters at the turn of the century.
 
That training blends naturalistic and impressionistic styles with a solid foundation in drawing, which is evident in her work. To further hone her skills in working directly from nature, she has studied and painted with nationally known artists Dan Gerhartz, C.W. Mundy, Matt Smith, George Strickland and Ken Backhaus. Ms. Sandell is a Signature Member of Plein Air Florida and organized Plein Air Sun Coast. She is a Signature member of the American Impressionist Society and member of Oil Painters of America. She is a Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists and is the ASMA South Representative. Her work has been included in such national juried exhibitions as the Salmagundi Club and the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, both in New York City.  Past shows include the Art Association of Harrisburg's Annual Juried Show, Palm Beach Art Galleries' Annual International Art Competition (Best of Show), Florida Art Center National 100, Lee County Alliance for the Arts 2D-3D Show, Southwest Florida Artscape and the Naples Art Association's Art Encounter (Best of Show).
 
Recent national juried exhibitions and plein-air invitational events include: The American Impressionist Society's 2005, '06, ’07, ‘08 and '09 National Juried Exhibition / American Women Artists National 2005 and '07 Exhibition / Oil Painters of America 2007 Eastern Regional Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils / Boca Grande Art Alliance National Juried Exhibition, Boca Grande FL / Hilton Head Art League National Juried Exhibition, Hilton Head Island SC / 2008 and '10 CAC Biennial National, Punta Gorda FL / Cummer Museum of Art Ball~Art Exhibition, Jacksonville FL / "Paintout in Paradise", Venice Art Center, Venice FL / "The Nature of Art in High Springs" Invitational Paintout & Exhibit, High Springs Gallery, High Springs FL / "Forgotten Coast" Invitational Paint Out & Exhibit, Gulf Alliance for the Arts, Port St. Joe FL / 2008 San Luis Obispo Plein Air Painting Festival, San Luis Obispo, CA / 2010 Evinston Paint Out, Evinston, FL
 
Museum exhibitions include:  American Society of Marine Artist’s 2008 New England Regional Exhibition~Cultural Center of Cape Cod, Herreshoff Marine Museum and America’s Cup Hall of Fame, and the Maine Maritime Museum / Florida Bienniel IV and V, Museum of Florida Art, DeLand FL / CAM Annual Maritime Art Exhibition 2008 and ‘09, Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay OR / SFCC Museum of Florida Art and Culture’s Plein Air in Florida Juried Exhibition (Best of Show) / ASMA North Regional show "Between the Shining Seas," Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, WI and the Minnesota Marine Art Museum,Winona, MN

The artist was invited by the Gulf Coast Heritage Museum to have a one-woman show inspired by Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, Florida.
She was also part of a two-person exhibition "Maritime Heritage in Art" at the Florida Maritime Museum, Historic Cortez Village, Florida. 
Three-person exhibition "Fresh Perspectives" at the SFCC Museum of Florida Art and Culture in Avon Park, Florida.

Val Sandell's award-winning landscapes, still lifes and portraits hang in private and corporate collections throughout the United States and Europe. Her home/studio is located in Sarasota, Florida. 

Ms. Sandell welcomes inquiries concerning the purchase of paintings in galleries, stock and commissioned pieces*
*A note about commissioned paintings:  Val has developed an excellent reputation with clients for commissioned pieces. Whether it is a portrait, landscape or still life, the process starts with the artist creating a small "working study" after finding out what the client envisions. The client is part of the process and if revisions are necessary and agreed upon, they can review those revisions via photographs. When the client is pleased with the study, Ms. Sandell completes the full size painting.