Sandra Blow RA (1925–2006) was a pioneering British abstract artist known for her large-scale, textured works that combined bold colour with unconventional materials. Born in London, she studied at Saint Martin’s School of Art and later at the Royal Academy Schools. In 1947, she travelled to Italy, where she met Italian painter Alberto Burri, whose experimental use of materials like sacking and cement profoundly influenced her approach to abstraction.
Blow's work is characterized by its dynamic compositions and tactile surfaces, often incorporating materials such as sawdust, plaster, and torn paper. Her innovative use of collage and emphasis on the physicality of materials positioned her at the forefront of the British abstract movement in the 1950s. Throughout her career, she exhibited widely, including regular shows at Gimpel Fils in London and participation in international exhibitions like the Venice Biennale.
In the 1990s, Blow returned to Cornwall, settling in St Ives, where she continued to create and exhibit her work. She was elected a Royal Academician in 1978 and was honoured with a retrospective at the Royal Academy's Sackler Galleries in 1994. Her works are held in major public collections, including Tate Britain, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.