Untitled

Painted in 1992, this vibrant mixed media work belongs to the mature period of Sandra Blow’s career, when her compositions achieved an effortless balance between bold geometry, lyrical gesture and richly textured surfaces.

Executed in oil with collage on canvas, the composition is built from interlocking planes of saturated cobalt blue, orange, crimson and violet, animated by sweeping black linear marks and passages of exposed surface. The collage elements create subtle shifts in depth and texture, reinforcing Blow’s lifelong belief that a painting should possess a tangible physical presence as well as visual vitality.

Although modest in scale, the work displays the same architectural confidence found in Blow’s large public and museum paintings. Colour functions not simply as description but as structure, while the layered surface catches changing light, allowing the painting to alter subtly throughout the day.

The provenance of the painting makes it particularly appealing. Acquired directly from Sandra Blow by a close personal friend who witnessed its creation in the artist’s studio, it offers an unusually intimate connection with Blow’s working practice. Such direct artist provenance provides both historical interest and exceptional authenticity.

Representing the freedom and confidence of Blow’s mature years, this painting is an excellent example of one of Britain’s most significant abstract artists, combining vibrant colour, tactile surface and distinguished provenance in a highly collectable work.

Research & Institutional References

Historical Context

Painted during Blow’s mature period, when colour, collage and textured surfaces became increasingly refined, reflecting decades of experimentation with abstraction and material.

Public Collections

Works by Sandra Blow are held in major public collections including Tate, the Arts Council Collection, the Government Art Collection, the Royal Academy of Arts and numerous regional museums throughout the United Kingdom.