HIGH FIVE

7 June - 12 July 2025

SANDRA VICK

ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a painter drawn to a deep human connection with the landscape. There is something both grounding and exhilarating about open spaces - the way they offer an escape from the noise of modern life. Our ancient mountains and hills, formed through volcanic eruptions and sculpted by glaciers, stand as both challenge and refuge. They pull us in, inviting us to explore, to push ourselves, and to find stillness in their presence.

Years of running and hiking have given me an intimate understanding of the land - the shifting light, the variety of textures, and the vastness. Whilst my sketchbooks have travelled into many hill and mountain areas, this body of work is rooted in the landscapes of the Scottish Borders near my studio. The silhouetted horizons hold weight and openness in equal measure, evoking both a sense of place and a sense of freedom. It is a landscape both natural and lived in, where even our footsteps have made their mark. Each painting is a synthesis of these experiences, built from hours spent walking, drawing in all weathers, and returning again and again to absorb the landscape before translating it onto canvas.

I work in water-based oil paints, drawn to their richness, while making conscious choices to reduce my impact on the environment. I avoid toxic solvents like turpentine, and instead, I reuse the ‘waste’ water from cleaning my brushes—allowing the sedimented pigments to form the foundation layers of my paintings. I love how these pigments settle in unexpected ways, mirroring the natural processes of erosion, layering, and renewal found in the landscape itself.