About Gerald J. Sandau
Discover the story behind the artist. Learn about Gerald J. Sandau's journey, his passion for sculpting stone, and his dedication to preserving the beauty of wildlife through his unique sculptures. From Chilliwack, British Columbia, Gerald creates one-of-a-kind sculptures that capture the essence of nature.
Born in 1942, second of seven children, Gerry grew up on a farm near Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Canada, in the heart of the Canadian prairies. An expert horseman at an early age, he spent his free time roaming the historic Cypress Hills, acquiring a kinship with the wild and the free. To him the First Nations winter camp on the outskirts of Maple Creek, the enormous buffalo wallows he played in as a child and the hundred yard ribbon of wagon ruts crossing the ranch towards the Hills, all attested to the reality and richness of our Heritage. During his school years Gerry excelled in equestrian events, sporting events and art classes, but the love for horses and the outdoors was his passion. Gerry grew up on the back of his horse Socks who he trained from a colt to jump over anything and everything that he was pointed towards. Looking back now, that was very foolish and in certain circomstances could have catistrophic resaults.
His school teachers labelled him a dreamer, and rightly so.
On his trap line in this particularwinter, these four prime mink pelts were a handsome reward. When he was growing up, a sharp jackknife always in his pocket, from a piece of wood he carved his toys and necessary tools (toys) for survival, weather it be a realistic Colt 45 or a Henry Repeating rifle, his mother said he was born a hundred years to late. 1961 saw him graduate from high school. The following year he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. After training in firefighting and crash rescue at CFB Camp Borden, he spent the next five years in Canadian Forces Bases Grotonquin and Marville, France. In the rich artistic cultural cities of Europe Gerald developed a deep need to express his feeling in the gift that he was given, his artistic talent. In the Base Fire Hall in Marville is where he began to explore his talent and started his first challenging carving project.
1961 saw him graduate from high school. The following year he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. After training in firefighting and crash rescue at CFB Camp Borden, he spent the next five years in Canadian Forces Bases Grotonquin and Marville, France. In the rich artistic cultural cities of Europe Gerald developed a deep need to express his feeling in the gift that he was given, his artistic talent. . In the Base Fire Hall in Marville is where he began to explore his talent and started his first challenging project. Carved on two separate pieces of light mahogany and [joined down the center before completion.] However, this project got buried in a trunk for the next sixteen years. In i965, while holidaying in Ostend, Belgium, Gerald's single life came to an abrupt end, he met met Yvonne Lister. The following year they were married in Yvonne's home town, Rochdale, England. For the next year they made their home in the beautiful town of Florinville, Belgium, in the heart of the Ardens Forest.
RCA F Camp Borden, Ontario
Fire training School, Course 6251
I W ing Marville France
In 1968 Gerald was posted to Winnipeg, Manitoba and decided to end his Air Force career and go back to farming. He took back to Canada with him a daughter of England, wife Yvonne, and a deep appreciation of the rich Art and Culture of the European Countries. They farmed in Scandia, Alberta for the next sixteen years and raised three wonderful children. In the community and district, Gerald was instrumental in the organizing and training of the Volunteer Fire Department, and was the Fire Chief there for ten years. In 1984 they quite farming and moved to Chilliwack, in the beautiful eastern Fraser Valley of British Columbia. Here Gerry was employed as apart time firefighter at Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack, and when not working on the Base, operated his own renovation business. Its during this time he brought out the project he'd started in France, finished it and created many more beautiful pieces. The British Columbia forests provided a bountiful variety of medium. Gerald’s first public showing was in 1995, in British Columbia’s Woodcarvers juried exhibition, held annually in Abbotsford BC. At that show received the following awards: -Peoples Choice; Best of Show; First & Second in Human Category; First, Second & Third in Wildlife Category. However, he had not yet found his true calling.
In 1995 an accident amputated the four fingers of his left hand, making it impossible to hold the sculptures while working them. Out of necessity, he turned to the softer stone as a medium. As he puts it, "One does not move a three hundred pound piece of stone around, one moves around it." Incredibly, with the limited use of one hand and no formal training in the Arts, Gerald can turn large lumps of stone into detailed images. His only regret is that he did not explore his talent, forty years sooner. Today, if not taking his grand children on nature hikes, or Barbershop singing, you will find him in his studio, putting his imagination and perception into preserving, with love, a piece of our Heritage.
Beyond the ordinary
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