By Erlina Tulabut
Dana Point News

Welcome to the third installment of the Dana Point News' Meet the Artist series featuring profiles and interviews with people whose work appears around the city of Dana Point.  If you have an artist you think should be featured here, call us at 454-7394.



Sandra LaMarche won her first art contest at the age of eight. Her prize-winning painting of a popsicle won her a box of the frozen treats.

While a student at Notre Dame High School in Belmont, CA with PRE-MED Pediatrics as her major, she learned to duplicate the work of masters from a nun. She went on to San Jose State University where she learned a different method of painting and graduated  with a bachelor's degree in art.

Although she spent many years working as a creative director for an advertising agency, Sandra said it was only four years ago that she "made the mental connection as a fine artist." She was inspired to keep on painting by her husband Eddie LaMarche who died of a heart attack in March.

What sparked this mental connection?
I was retired and my husband said, "Why don't you paint something?"  Now I have over 230 paintings...I never made that mental connection because I was a busy creative director for an ad agency, not a full-time fine artist myself. I picked up artists' work and styles when they quit and I never knew what I could do with no project to base a creation on.  Instead, I always had something else to do in those days.

What did you do with your first paintings?
I stuck 200 paintings in the rafters of my garage. One day a woman was jogging by and asked, "What is all that stuff?" She asked me to show her one and then she said, "We have to get you in touch with the Niguel Art Association." (Sandra is now a member)

Now that you can paint the things you want, what do you like to do?
I paint big canvases. It's torturous for me to paint small canvases, but I do because they're the only ones that fit in the house. There is much freedom in painting big.

What are your favorite subjects?
Basically it's whatever I'm in the mood for because I love so many things...I love to paint portraits and finding that little bit of magic that isn't a smile.

How would you describe your work to someone who has never seen it?
It's really colorful stuff. Bright. I would call it realism/impressionism...I do lots of oceans and flowers.

Any special touches or trademarks?
I've gotten some accolades on some of my three-dimensional work as well...A border or tree might stick out and you can touch it...I have a painting of a pier where you can actually touch the wood and mussels which protrude from the painting.

Where are your works displayed?
I have a 14 foot whale on display in Skipper's Galley in Dana Point. It's divided into four pieces. I started with two pieces and just kept going and going...I'm also exhibiting in four or five banks, Fred Sands Realty in Newport Beach, Bank of Orange, Orange  National Bank and at the DMV in San Clemente.

What are you working on now?
I painted the entire city of Lake Forest. 27 paintings of the City, every landmark and every lake spot...Now I'm starting on Dana Point. I have five or six paintings and I won't quit until I have about 15 or 20 more, God willing.


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Send mail to info@sandralamarche.com  with questions or comments about this web site. This website and all art, illustrations, images and paintings within are fully copyrighted,and may not be reproduced in any form. Sandra LaMarche© 2000. All Rights Reserved
Last modified: October 28, 2004