The Sandra Scott Story

1. How did you come to art?

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Growing up in Barbados, my interest in creating started from a very young age. Both my mother and grandmother ‘made things’. My mother enjoyed drawing as a hobby, and was always keen to learn different crafts; my grandmother did sewing and crochet. They both encouraged me to make things too; my mother would buy me a range of craft activities to make, and I had lots of fun doing this. 

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I loved art at secondary school: I attended St. Michael’s Girls School and my teacher, Mrs. Burton, was a British artist. I went on to do my A-levels at Barbados Community College, where the Division of Fine Art was led by Mrs. Joyce Daniel, a popular Barbadian artist. She took me under her wing, and I worked as her apprentice making batiks. I believe that Joyce was the reason I chose to become an artist. I admired her style and she was an excellent creative role model for me.

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2. What drives you to create?

I create because I must. But I love the process of making and for me it is a way to relax, it is my therapy. I am fascinated by the things I learn through the process of researching ideas. I use my art to communicate my ideas about my life experiences.

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3. What inspires you?

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I am inspired by many different things: a bit of fabric, a snapshot from nature, a quote from a book or a personal experience. I am excited by colour and texture; a few years ago I was totally captivated by trees and bark. I made pulp from recycled paper and used it in wall pieces. These were really investigative times for me; I made paper from plant material too, including corn husks, celery and daffodils.

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4. What do you need to make your art?

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I use primarily natural fabrics for my work, I dye a batch during the summer and then use these fabrics when needed. I also add colourfast fabric paint to define areas of my designs, and embellish with stitch. My most important tool is my Bernina sewing machine, which complements the design by adding texture to the work, and ultimately completes the quilt. 

The technique I use is called free machine embroidery: it’s a process in which the feed dogs on the machine are lowered or covered before stitching, enabling movement in any direction. 

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I have had my Bernina for many years and remember buying it when it was referred to as a ‘sewing computer’; it did many fabulous and exciting things. My children refer to the machine as my fifth child, and they would laugh and say that I loved it more than I loved them!
 

5. What is the process by which you make your work?

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My process begins with drawing. I do a simple sketch in pencil or with a drawing pen; sometimes I add colour using ink, pastels or watercolour. Next, through a process of deconstruction and reconstruction, I might copy, then cut, the image, developing my design. This process is sometimes recorded on a sketch pad or on random bits of paper, which I often discard. Once I am happy with the design I try out various stitch methods before deciding which to use. There is no hard or fast rule here because even at this stage I sometimes change things dramatically by cutting or changing colours or textures.

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6. How is your art influenced by the space in which you create it?

I think the books, objects and tools that I use are the major influence in my process. My studio is a wooden garden building bought over twenty years ago from Scotsdales. I fell in love with it because it was wooden and I loved how it smelt! My husband, Dave, and I spent many weeks insulating it and laying the floor. It has served me well, but by now it’s a bit tired, and also filled to the brim with fabrics, machines and all manner of art tools.  

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I’ve been running out of space in the studio recently, so I converted a small conservatory into an accessible workspace. It’s another area for planning art sessions and exploring my art materials. My increased teaching commitments require a lot more space and a lot more preparation: so I had to work across both locations, resulting in a very untidy studio and house! Lack of time and space has definitely impacted the size of the work I create.

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7. How do you respond to limitations and constraints?

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I believe that sometimes limitations and constraints can be a positive thing as an artist. They can help to develop new ideas and ways of thinking that are useful to resolve issues when creating.
 

8. What does being in a community like COS mean for you?

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I appreciate the opportunity to have been a part of the COS community this year. Working towards Open Studios was a good incentive for me creatively. I have also met many interesting and inspirational people. 

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I am grateful too to ArtSpace5-7: the gallery provided a perfect exhibition space, and is cultivating a really supportive community for artists. The efficiency of their administration and professional support is outstanding.

9. What is art for? 

Art is everything. It gives pleasure in making, joy in seeing: and we also develop many skills through the creative process. Art brings together intellect and emotion; it holds and carries stories. Stories about the artist, and stories that the artist wants to tell. 

Art allows for individual interpretation, and one piece of art can have many different explanations or meanings. Art can help us to solve problems, to explore emotions: and through this, to connect with one another; to be human. It plays an essential role in educating and communicating ideas to change the world.

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Based on an interview between Sandra Scott and Georgia Short on 6 July 2026.

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Sandra Scott is an ArtSpace5-7 represented artist.​

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