The Organizing Board
@DavidSandumArt David Sandum (Moss, Norway) – Founder
David Sandum was born in 1971 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Today he resides in Moss, Norway, much thanks to his Norwegian wife Kjersti.
Early on, David displayed a talent for drawing and in 9th grade, one of his pieces was selected for an exhibit at the Gothenburg Art Museum for “evolving young students”.
Although David is self-taught, he took courses in art history and introductory art as an undergraduate student at the University of Utah (1995-1999). Learning art theory was a boost, David says: “For the first time my eyes were opened to all forms of art, not just the realistic motifs people tend to fancy; I became particularly enthused by colour and expressionism”.
After graduating with a BA in Organizational Communication and History, David and his family moved to Norway after nearly six years in the United States. Soon, he was employed in the IT-industry but years of accumulated stress took a toll and led him to re-examine his life. It was during this difficult time that David took up oil painting: “Painting and drawing helped me generate a sense of purpose in a meaningless world.”
Just like any artist, David draws inspiration from everything around him, and he doesn’t hesitate to share his sources of motivation: “Monet’s skies, Vincent’s yellow, Matisse’s red, and Munch’s expressiveness.”
David has been a full-time artist since 2000 and has exhibited yearly since then. In 2010 he organized the first #Twitterartexhibit. http://www.davidsandum.com
@natgeorgela Nat George (Los Angeles, USA) – Selection Committee
After learning the basics of painting from her mother, Nat George earned degrees in graphic design and web development, and built a successful career as a sought-after commercial artist and interactive designer.
While employed for many years as Senior Designer for the advertising arm of a large financial firm, she pursued independent fine art & design projects, and developed an extensive portfolio spanning various visual disciplines, including exhibition design and site-specific installation.
In 2006, Nat was accepted into a specialized program led by the art faculty of Santa Monica College for emerging talent to mentor under established SoCal artists, and work behind the scenes with commercial galleries in Los Angeles. Since then she has been exhibiting locally as well as leading ongoing projects as an independent curator. She continues to oversee numerous art-related design projects, including exhibition catalogs and fine art books. Although she works in a variety of mediums, Nat’s artistic focus remains largely based in painting and new media.
In 2009, Nat began working as an art educator with a local nonprofit agency supporting adult artists with intellectual disabilities. Through a partnership between this agency and the DAC Gallery in Downtown L.A., Nat has been on board as gallery staff since 2010. While she continues to pursue independent curatorial projects and mentor disabled artists, Nat is also a frequent contributor to the DAC’s programming as a guest-curator (and/or co-curator) on select exhibitions. Additionally, she advises the DAC on social networking and online P.R. issues, as well as periodically participating in gallerist meetings with Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk organizers.
Aside from her fine arts, design and new media experience, Nat’s wheelhouse includes gallery management, event promotion, social networking, public relations and writing. She now brings her extensive skill set to #twitterartexhibit as a selection committee member, and as the point person to manage practical curatorial and exhibition issues.
Nat George’s work has been exhibited at DAC Gallery, The Annex LA, City Market Gallery, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art (LACDA), Katalyst Foundation and Siren Studios (Los Angeles), SCA Project Gallery (Pomona), as well as Shoshana Wayne Gallery and Arena 1 Gallery (Santa Monica).
@robinpedrero Robin Maria Pedrero (Florida, USA) – PR
Robin Maria Pedrero paints the spirit and energy of life in rhythmic layers of color. She responds to what catches her eyes and heart, personifying nature, and evoking a range of moods with a touch of whimsy. “I use a symbolic visual language exploring both the visible and invisible, creating a commentary on relationships and thoughts. As I work, the images can be unexpected and flowing from gathered memories. Music plays a role in my process and seeps into my art. I build layers, making connections, and a story comes forth and unfolds. The work evolves, and quite often by the time the painting is finished, it has a history of stories interwoven in the layers.”
Robin Maria Pedrero is an award-winning artist with work in museum permanent collections, film, and collected worldwide. Pedrero has worked from her Florida studio since 1989. She is an elected signature member of the Pastel Society of America, awarded Best Artist in Florida 2012 by Baterbys Art Auction Gallery , listed in Florida International Magazine’s Florida Artists Hall of Fame, and the first fb winning Artiste Wine Label Artist.
@ryanseslow Ryan (New York, USA) - Selection Committee
Ryan Seslow is an artist, independent curator, and professor of fine art living and working in New York. Working in a variety of mediums, Seslow shows his work both nationally and internationally. Seslow teaches various fine art studio courses simultaneously between four colleges in the metropolitan NY area. http://ryanseslow.com
