Remembering Sandra Blain

Sandra Jean Blain (1941–2024) was born in Chicago. Her parents operated a florist business, and as a child she worked in the greenhouse, which likely inspired her life-long love for gardening. She earned a B.S. in education from Northern Illinois University, and an M.S. in Art and an M.F.A. in Ceramics from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Her professional career began in 1964 as an instructor at Horlick High School in Racine, Wisconsin. By 1969 she was recruited to teach at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and was serving as the Assistant Director of summer sessions at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg. In 1979, upon the retirement of director Marian Heard, Sandra stepped in to become interim director of Arrowmont. In 1980 she was appointed director, a role she held for almost 22 years. During that tenure, she oversaw tremendous growth, including additions to studio and classroom space, and a curriculum expansion to accommodate multigenerational learning. Under her watch, Arrowmont became a sought-after venue for meetings and exhibitions, and she is credited with hosting over 50 conferences at the school, including several for the American Craft Council’s Southeast Regional Assembly. In 1992 the main gallery space at Arrowmont was named the Sandra J. Blain Galleries in her honor.

Sandra stepped down as director of Arrowmont in 2001 and, in 2004, became Professor Emerita at the University of Tennessee, allowing her to spend more time in the studio. Her slab-constructed pieces—while primarily functional—exhibit a deep texture she produced by imprinting found objects or natural materials, and she achieved a depth of color through glazing and sprayed overglazing. Her appreciation for the natural world was also embedded in her work.

After moving to Tempe, Arizona in 2005 Sandra continued to teach as an adjunct faculty member at the Mesa Arts Center until 2023. A tireless and highly respected art administrator, she served on the boards of many organizations, including the American Craft Council (1997–2004), the Southern Highland Craft Guild, the Gatlinburg Arts Council, and CERF+ (1993–1996). She also served national and local organizations as a consultant, conference coordinator, exhibition juror, presenter, and workshop leader, and worked closely with the Ceramics Research Center at Arizona State University.

Sandra’s work has been exhibited around the country and is held in many university and public institution collections, including the Arkansas Art Center; the Alfred University – Corsaw Collection at Alfred, New York; the Racine Art Museum, Wisconsin; and the Asheville Art Museum, North Carolina. She received numerous awards in recognition of her impact on the field of craft, namely the Gordon Holl Outstanding Arts Administrator Award from the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Kurka Faculty Award from the University of Tennessee, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Highland Craft Guild. She was named an Honorary Fellow of ACC in 1997; an audio recording of the ceremony is now available in the ACC Archives Digital Collections.

An interview with Sandra Blain, recorded in 2009, is available online as an oral history from the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institute.