framed dimensions: 108.5 x 79 cm
artist’s stamp lower left
During the 1980s and 90s, Sandford lived and worked on Lamma Island, just off the coast of Hong Kong, a place known for its absence of roads, boat-only transport, and a distinctly magical, bohemian atmosphere. It was here, surrounded by tropical flora and immersed in a slower rhythm of life, that Sandford’s practice evolved into a vibrant visual language inspired by his surroundings.
In this still life, composed in a restrained yet lush palette of yellow, green, and red, he brings together three plants native to the island’s gardens and hillsides: coral tree flower, croton, and Indian shot. The simplicity of the colour scheme belies the richness of the composition, evoking heat, foliage, and light with clarity and poise. Sandford’s signature seal, created during his time in Hong Kong, appears in the left corner, a personal and cultural imprint that marks the work with both authorship and memory.
Born in Greenock, Ron Sandford studied at Glasgow School of Art in the late 1950s before continuing at the Royal College of Art, London, specialising in graphics. Renowned for his highly detailed architectural drawings, he worked with leading architects, including Norman Foster, on major commissions such as the Broadgate Centre and Thames Millennium Bridge. His career later took him to Hong Kong before he settled in Yell, Shetland, in 2002 with his wife, illustrator Meilo So. There, he immersed himself in documenting the landscape, people, and maritime traditions.