ARTIST Sandra Ehlers lives and breathes her work. Over the past decade she has been busy creating a huge number of pieces, which have accumulated, and of late, packed her home to the rafters.

For this reason Sandra, who lives in Sutton Road, Southend, has taken the step of taking down much of her work from inside her home and is now looking for new art spaces in town.

As well as decluttering her home, she sees the move as a chance for more people to see her work. Many people will already recognise Sandra’s creations, which have been produced to raise issues in the local area and are often made out of Echo newspaper newsprint.

They have been displayed in locations in Southend, including regularly at the Milk and Sugar coffee bar by Southend train station.

Former primary school teacher Sandra, 64, says: “As an awareness artist my work is inspired by the local community. I think it makes more sense for the work to be in the community rather than in my home.

“Originally, I wanted to showcase it in my home as an alternative to a gallery space where people could come by appointment but that didn’t really work because I live in a flat. I eventually felt I needed to separate my work space and my own personal space.”

Sandra has already potentially secured a space in the window of the Sue Ryder shop, in Southend, and she hopes to have more work dotted around the local area.

She says: “I am looking for somewhere to store the work and want to ask people in Southend whether they have space where I can show it.”

All of Sandra’s work is the result of her campaigning to raise awareness and spark interest in local issues, from the lot of cyclists, and the “Essex girl” to the environment. She works in many different mediums including collage, sculpture, ceramics and drawings. The move has had a big impact on Sandra who is 64.

She says: “The flat feels very bare now all the work has gone! However, I am trying to embrace change and see it positively.

“I found having so much work in one place wasn’t conducive to creativity. Now I have so many ideas of projects I want to do.”

Sandra, who used to teach at schools including Bournemouth Park, Porters Grange, Lady of Lourdes and Earls Hall, embraced her artistic talents about ten years ago.

She says: “I had my first child by 19, another a year later and my third child 13 years later, so I didn’t have time to make art. Now I can’t stop!”

Visit www.sandraehlers.co.uk for details