Sandy Kessler Kaminski facts for kids

Sandy Kessler Kaminski is an American artist who creates paintings and mixed-media art. She is also famous for her large public murals. Sandy lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and you can find her artwork in many spots around the city and nearby areas.

Early Life and Art School

Sandy Kessler Kaminski was born on October 26, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. In 1988, she started college at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. She studied fine art there. In 1990, Sandy moved to the Columbus College of Art and Design. She finished her degree in 1993 with very high honors (this is called summa cum laude). She earned a BFA degree.

Sandy's Art Career

Sandy Kessler Kaminski moved from Columbus to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the late 1990s. Her art often shows the city of Pittsburgh, which used to be a big industrial area. She also uses different printmaking and mixed-media techniques in her work. Recently, Sandy has started using reclaimed and recycled materials in many creative ways.

Art About Life: The Marie Series

One of Sandy's special art collections is called "The Marie Series." It was inspired by her daughter, Marie, and a health challenge she faced. The artworks in this series have many layers. Sandy uses acrylic paints and colored pencils. She also uses printmaking methods like collagraphs, monoprints, and silk screening. She builds these pieces with materials like Plexiglas and polycarbonate.

Some well-known pieces from this series are Chromosome Girl (Marie in Red), Sleeping Marie (Marie in Pink), and Marie in Green.

Public Art Murals

Sandy Kessler Kaminski has created many large murals that people can see in public places.

"Industrial Strength Corn"

In November 2003, Sandy and other artists finished a huge 80-foot sculpture of a corn cob. This was for a public art project in Columbus, Ohio. The sculpture, called "Industrial Strength Corn," was placed at Nationwide Arena.

"A Walk Through Millvale"

In 2003, Sandy started working for The Sprout Fund in Pittsburgh as a mural artist. Soon after, they asked her to design a mural for the Bishop building in Millvale, Pennsylvania.

This public mural shows Pittsburgh's 40th Street Bridge. It looks like you are seeing it from inside a store window. A young girl is also shown running at the bottom of the mural.

"Welcome to the Strip"

In 2004, Sandy was asked to paint a mural in Pittsburgh's Strip District neighborhood. This project was part of a plan to make the community more beautiful. The mural was on the side of the Penn Rose Building and was called "Welcome to the Strip." It was one of nine murals created for the area.

In 2017, the "Welcome to the Strip" mural was painted over after the building was sold.

"It's in the Attic" Mural

In 2005, a record shop called Attic Records in Millvale, Pennsylvania, asked Sandy to paint a mural. Flooding had damaged the shop's windows. Sandy created a two-part mural that shows the history of recorded music. The artwork includes famous artists like Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles. It also features blues artist Bessie Smith and jazz artist Duke Ellington. This mural, called "It's in the Attic," is still there today.

"Corner of Hope"

Sandy Kessler Kaminski worked with students from The Pittsburgh Project. She helped them restore nine murals. These finished artworks were placed in a park in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2017. This project was a team effort with the Josh Gibson Foundation and Oakglade Realty.

"Time Travelers" Mural

In 2019, Sandy and another Pittsburgh artist, Edith Abeyta, were asked to create a mural for the Elizabeth Street Bridge in Pittsburgh's Hazelwood neighborhood. The mural was inspired by the Candy Land board game. It tells the story of Hazelwood's history and was created with ideas from the community.

"Tonee Turner" Mural

In September 2020, Sandy Kessler Kaminski and Marce Nixon-Washington, another artist from Pittsburgh, designed a mural. This mural was created to honor Tonee Turner, a young woman from Pittsburgh's Hazelwood neighborhood. The artwork includes Tonee's birthday and a special quote: "The missing find solace in our hearts until they are found."

Art Shows and Exhibitions

Sandy Kessler Kaminski's art has been shown in many exhibitions:

• Art of the State Exhibit at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (2017)
• Bridging the Landscape at BE Galleries, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2015)
• A Variation of Unknown Medical Significance, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2007)
• Quiet Storm, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2003)
• Miami University Young Painters Competition, Oxford, Ohio (2002)
• Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2001)
• 65th National Midyear Exhibition, Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio (2001)
• Associated Artists of Butler County, Pennsylvania (2001)
• Helios Arts, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2000)
• Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, New Castle, Pennsylvania (2000)
• Butler Museum of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio (2000, 2001)
• Studio 615, Cleveland, Ohio
• Art for Life Auction, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio (1998)
• Columbus Art League, Columbus, Ohio (1997)
• Iannotta Gallery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Ohio State Fair Professional Division (1994, 1997)
• Border to Border National Drawing Competition, Clarksville, Tennessee (1993, 1997)
• Acme Art Gallery, Columbus, Ohio (1996, 1999)
• 14th Annual Women Artists—A Celebration, Youngstown, Ohio (1995)
• Mile Zero Gallery, Columbus, Ohio (1994)
• Artists Co-Operative, Austin, Texas (1993)

Art in Collections

Sandy Kessler Kaminski's artwork is part of many important collections, including:

• Dick Blick Art Supply LLC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Smart Technologies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Magee Women's Health Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• WEBB Law, One Gateway, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Del Monte, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Citizens Bank, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Public Employees Retirement System of the State of Ohio
• Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business, Columbus, Ohio
• Bishop Hartley High School, Columbus, Ohio
• St. Joseph's Cathedral, Diocese of Columbus
• Asbury Automotive, New York, New York
• Larson Drawing Collection at Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, Tennessee