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Arts & Entertainment

A Portrait of the Artist: Sandra Fritter

Recent GFAA President Sandra Fritter is exhibiting paintings at Kentlands Mansion during December and January.

Sandra Fritter served as Gaithersburg Fine Arts Association (GFAA) President for the last four years. During that time, the group, which is currently exhibiting paintings at the Activity Center in Bohrer Park, built its website, increased in membership and exposure through additional exhibits, began organizing field trips and outdoor painting events, and began to reach its member base and affiliates via email.

"We tried to go green instead of sending out a lot of paper. We started sending out our newsletter by email," said Fritter who continues her involvement with the GFAA, while taking studio and plein air painting classes at the Yellow Barn Studio and Gallery in Glen Echo, Maryland and painting in her free time. 

Some of her favorite places to paint locally include sites along the C&O Canal and Washington Grove. They will be featured in her upcoming December 2011 and January 2012 show at Kentlands Mansion alongside her figurative paintings and recent works completed in Santa Fe, New Mexico and local surroundings.

Fritter counts John Singer Sargent, Connie Hayes, Tommy Thompson, Egon Schiele, Jamie Wyeth and Walt Bartman among her influences. She was introduced to Wyeth's work while on a painting workshop in Maine. Her travels through painting have taken her to Prague, Greece, Spain, Ireland, the Bahamas, Maine, Santa Fe, New Mexico as well as locations on the Chesapeake Bay.

"I regret that I did not go to school to be an artist," said Fritter who considers herself a student of art even though she has been painting for the past six years.

Even thought she started out with acrylics, Fritter now paints in oil. Her first painting class was with Walt Bartman at the Yellow Barn, and it was a plein air painting class.

"I had not taken many art classes before. I had just taken some drawing classes, and I did not know what I was getting myself into. I found painting challenging and loved plein air," she said.

In describing her work, Fritter says that it is always changing.

"I consider myself a representational painter, even though at one point people said I was a Colorist," she explained.

Fritter draws inspiration from the natural environment.

"I love looking at the sky, and I even love dead trees - the crookedness of them," she said. "I see a lot of different colors whethers others see them or not. I see what I see, and I have a need to express it by getting it out on the canvas."

A long time GFAA member, Fritter has won numerous awards at the juried Annual GFAA Spring Show at Kentlands Mansion. In 2009 she won First Place and in 2008 Third Place in Oil. She has also won awards at the City of Gaithersburg Arts, Crafts, and Photography Show and at the Annual Yellow Barn Juried Members Show.

Fritter has had several solo shows at the Yellow Barn Studio and Gallery and has been in many group shows through the GFAA, the Montgomery Art Association and the Montgomery County Plein Air Painters. In addition to these organizations, she is also a member of the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association. She has also facilitated two GFAA shows at the Yellow Barn.

"I love art, and I am glad that there are lots of people on the bandwagon of promoting art," she said. "We should keep pushing for arts programs, and I think it is important to continue to promote the arts through the public school system," she added.

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