BIO: Sandy Bell

I began practicing 'street photography' and photographing when I was a teenager, and went on to study photography as part of my journalism curriculum at Ryerson, University. I literally fell in love with a fellow student while reviewing his portfolio of art photographs in the basement of the journalism department -- and we married three years later. He was a fourth generation photographer whose grandfather was the first person to own a camera on their tiny island in the Azores, and today my ex is one of Canada's top portrait photographers representing marginalized groups in the full-frontal style of American Photographer Diane Arbus.

 

Our marriage engendered many years of in-depth discussion about photography as high versus popular art, the fine art of photo selection, the role of sequencing in exhibitions, the 'found' and the 'stolen' versus the 'consented' photograph, and thus began my ongoing investigations into the great photographers. Of the photographers that have resonated with me, I'd say French humanist photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson (master of capturing candid arrested moments), along with my ex husband Frank (Francisco Jose) Pimentel (for his heart and his explorations of 'pathetic beauty'), and Ed Burtynsky, his contemporary from our Ryerson days (for his stunning wide-scale detailed photos) have influenced me the most.

 

I have continued to photograph sporadically over the years, although this has been in between being a single (co-parenting) mother, full time arts manager in the field of contemporary music, and pursuing my other artistic interests that include singing/songwriting, various writing projects and performing in a band (The Wanted), painting, writing poetry, and designing. And the subject matter that has most inspired me is beaches.

 

Nearly a decades' long passion project now, I've enjoyed photographing them in Florida and The Maritimes so far. Nature's raw power and beauty collides at these edges of our world where land meets sea. Beaches represent a microcosm of life at its simplest where people of all ages from all walks of life in wide ranging conditions display their connections, bodies, emotions, and ability to fall into -- not the 'pursuit of happiness' but -- simple 'beach bliss'.

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I have recorded and will soon release a solo album of original songs dedicated to my late son Colin Earl Bell called 'Break of Day' (produced by Juno award-winning musician/recording engineer/producer Andrew Collins), and first solo book of poetry, entitled 'My Heart Is About To Break Into A Billion Pieces.' Once completed, 'The Maritime Beach' will be my first solo photo exhibition.

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