Author(s): Michael Bird

New Art

Sandra Blow (1925-2006) is one of the most important British artists of the last 50 years. During this time of rapid change in the art world, her commitment to abstract painting resulted in a large and diverse body of work of distinctive power and subtlety. Despite her high reputation, little has previously been published about Blow. This is the first full-length study of her life and art. Lavishly illustrated throughout, it provides the first fully representative selection of works spanning all stages of her career, including new works created especially for this publication. Michael Bird has worked in close collaboration with the artist and has drawn on a wealth of unpublished material. He explores the crucial importance of abstraction to Blow, and looks in depth at her relationship to other artists including Alberto Burri and Roger Hilton. He also places Blow's work in the context of British and international art movements of the post-war period and late twentieth century. Through close attention to Blow's studio practice, this book provides wide-ranging insights into her creative process. It reveals the intensity of emotional engagement and technical experimentation that lie behind the apparent spontaneity of her vivid handling of materials, colour and form.