Sandra Tamkin

Artist Statement

Los Angeles native Sandra Tamkin has worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 30 years, giving her a unique perspective she incorporates in her art. She earned her Master of Social Work Degree at the University of Southern California with an emphasis on Community Organizing.

Art is how I communicate when words fail me. It’s the language I return to again and again—a puzzle piece that fits where nothing else does. Through color, texture, shape, and medium, I create in-the-moment expressions of my inner world, driven by instinct and emotion. I never worry about the outcome; instead, I surrender to the process. Some works remain unfinished, others get painted over—and that’s part of the journey. Art is a record of the moment, a fleeting conversation between the substrate and me.

I am endlessly fascinated by how people respond to different pieces, how color and form vibrate uniquely for each viewer. My work is rooted in visual experience as a way of creating space—for calm, for chaos, for questions. Sometimes, it’s about finding peace in a volatile world. Other times, it’s protest, a form of activism. My background in social work and nonprofit advocacy has exposed me to the injustices so many face—in health care, foster care, economic inequality—and those experiences shape my art. I am deeply moved by the consequences of political decisions on marginalized communities, and I use my practice to reflect, challenge, and provoke.

Creating art is not optional for me—it’s something I have to do. It’s a deep, inner desire that fuels me, a therapeutic process that brings meaning and healing. I’m constantly inspired by everything around me, by the unpredictability of life, by the conflict between the have and have-nots. Some ideas arrive fully formed, as if they’ve flown into my brain from nowhere. Others evolve slowly, over days, weeks, or years.

My work is both personal and political—a journey of self-discovery and a call to action. It’s about raising awareness, creating solidarity, and offering viewers a space to feel, reflect, and connect. In a world overwhelmed by noise, I offer visual stillness—and sometimes, disruption. I make art to express, to resist, to imagine, and to remember that even in chaos, creation is possible.