Finding Faith Through Art All Over the World
From Pink Magazine — February 2025 Issue
by Lesley Kyle
Photography by
Lindsay Pettinicchi Photography, LLC
Sandra Bowden is a collector of beautiful things. Twenty years ago, Sandra and her husband arrived in the Lowcountry to be near family—two children, four grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren—some of whom were heading toward Savannah. A friend lived in the area, and as an avid golfer, the choice to live in Hilton Head seemed obvious.
“We had only a few days to make a decision and bought our house in three hours,” explained Sandra. The rush to find a landing pad resulted from the recent sale of their prior home. With a smile in her voice, Sandra said, “It was a good choice!” Sandra’s family had roots in central New Hampshire. Her mom’s side of the family received original land grants in the farming community where Sandra was raised. Sandra’s early education took place in a one-room schoolhouse, and her teacher had also taught her mom. Faith was central to Sandra’s upbringing.
In the 1960s, it was common for area churches to host art festivals, and a small church invited Sandra to participate and contribute some paintings. “I hadn’t done any religious painting, so it challenged me,” said Sandra. “It was a seminal moment for me and ignited ideas of what might be possible in religious art.” Sandra contributed three pieces to that first festival, including a collage piece that spoke to her.
