Amy Sands

Amy Sands serves as Associate Professor of Studio Arts and Chair of the Fine Arts Department at Metro State University, where she has significantly expanded curriculum and facilities since joining as Community Faculty in 2009 and becoming Resident Faculty in 2017. Her leadership established drawing, painting, digital arts, and printmaking programs alongside the Digital Media Annex and new printshop.

Her educational background includes a BA in Art and Communications from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN and an MFA from Pratt Institute, NY, NY. Sands' research focuses on reimagining traditional lace through digital techniques and community-based art practices, with strong emphasis on social justice themes and cross-cultural dialogue. Her work bridges historical craft traditions with contemporary digital media, particularly evident in projects like Lace Reimagined.

Sands maintains international recognition through exhibitions at venues including the American Swedish Institute, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. She collaborates extensively with community organizations such as Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center and REM5 virtual laboratory, and previously served on Solidarity Street Gallery's advisory board.

• First Prize ~ Mini Print III International Cantabria/Impact 10, Santander, Spain
• Juror’s Choice Award ~ Awagami International Miniature Print Exhibition 2017, Tokushima, Japan
• First Place ~ Home exhibition at Rourke Art Museum
• 2020 MN State Arts Board Grant
• 2019 Springboard for the Arts Art in the Public Realm grant
• 2018 Springboard for the Arts Bottineau Boulevard grant

Sands' professional practice integrates gallery representation through Muriel Guépin Gallery (NY), Davidson Galleries (Seattle), and Base Gallery (Tokyo), alongside active community engagement projects. Her studio practice directly informs her teaching in Metro State's Studio Arts program, where she directs curriculum development and facility expansion including specialized digital and printmaking technologies.