The Shinsplintski Family Circus, a Retrospective Exhibition of Multidisciplinary Artist Terry Sand
- Leila Ghasempor
- Jul 31
- 9 min read
Updated: Aug 11
“It's never too late to run away.”_Terry Sand
Yes, and...
"Yes, and..." — in the world of improvisational comedy, these two words mean accepting a reality and building something entirely new from it. For multidisciplinary artist Terry Sand, this is more than a rule of Improv; it is the very heartbeat of her creative practice.
The Shinsplintski Family Circus
“If you are having fun, your audience will have fun.”_Terry Sand
Figure 3. Terry Sand and S.F.C cast.
Where It All Started → Turning Point to Improv
Based in Redwood City, Terry is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work spans between the worlds of sculpture, painting, improv comedy, and modern dance. What inspires me most about Terry’s practice is her complete comfort and absolute devotion to the process of play. She doesn't force a canvas or a piece of clay to fit a rigid plan; instead, she "improvises," guided by an artistic magic, curiosity, endless joy, and her enchanting muse, Madam Shinsplintski. She genuinely loves not knowing what the final result will be, stepping forward as the first person to greet an array of imaginary characters as they come to life in her paintings, sculptures, and collages.
Terry’s vibrant, multidisciplinary universe is shaped by a fascinating influences—from the Alexander Calder and the modernist whimsy of Picasso and Chagall, to the bold, energetic spirits of David Byrne, Cyndi Lauper, Lucille Ball, and even the comedic hero Nacho Libre. Grounded in movement, Terry holds a Master's degree in Modern Dance from UCLA, a discipline that laid the foundation for everything that was to come.
As Terry shares:
I moved to San Francisco and worked for the San Francisco Dance Theater and the SF Art Commission. After a friend took me to see an improvisational comedy show, I realized that improv was the closest thing I had experienced to modern dance. I took the plunge, started studying improv, and amazingly got cast to join the improv troupe Papaya Juice at the Holy City Zoo right when Robin Williams left the troupe.
Figure 4. After a year of performing with Papaya Juice, Susan Healy and Terry were the only female cast members. Together, They started FEMPROV, an all-female improv troupe. A few years later Terry also started working in television on "People Are Talking" and "Evening Magazine," two highly rated TV programs at KPIX, the CBS affiliate in San Francisco.
The Rhythm of Triads: Curation and the "Trio Philosophy" in Terry Sand’s Retrospective
Figure 5. The present of number three in Terry's works from left to right, collage on paper, collage and ink on canvas, acrylic on canvas.
The Shinsplintski Family Circus curated by Leila Ghasempor and hosted at Art Bias in June 2026, served as a comprehensive retrospective of Terry Sand’s lifelong works, masterfully bringing together her unique combination of sculpture, painting, and improvisational performance. While curating the exhibition, I became deeply fascinated by a recurring, rhythmic presence across Terry's multi-dimensional practice: the number three which not only you could find it in many of her works compositions, but also tied her three focus of painting, sculpture and choreography.
Throughout the gallery space, a striking visual harmony emerged. Three whimsical acrobats sculptures riding a horse were embraced on either side by two distinct paintings, each depicting three dancers. Similar deliberate groupings of three appeared within her intricate ink and collage works on paper, creating a poetic visualization that echoed from wall to wall.
This observation inspired what I call a "Trio Philosophy"—a specialized curatorial lens used to explore the broader scope of Terry’s creative journey. Rather than a rigid, formal theory, this triad framework highlights a structural sense of balance, movement, internal dialogue, and playful transformation that defines her artistic voice. As an interdisciplinary artist bridging painting, sculpture, and live performance, Terry masterfully transforms everyday materials into expressive gestures and lively narratives, bringing a dynamic energy to each medium, she basically improvises, accepts the reality of everyday materials that we are all surrounded by mass production and making something entirely new.
By examining the intersections of these three distinct artistic languages and exploring how they inform one another, this curated retrospective goes beyond a standard exhibition. From salon wall, into bottle arts on shelves, to the hanging sculptures on the ceilings, altar of the High Risk Housing to gallery format of paintings and the theatrical glass case of circus cast accompanied by each performer's stone portraits and the reason why they decided to run away with circus, all the space have been activated.
Figure 6. From left to right, Tally Whoa, Center Ring Scene, Trunks and Tubas, acrylic on canvas, 2026.
Art Povera: The Transformation of Everyday Materials and Sustainability
Leila: Terry you masterfully mix and match everyday materials together and you make stunning works, like your bottle art and recent acrobat sculptures which uses familiar materials that every person might find in their houses, you bring the people into conversations. How it feels when you make this discarded materials and give them value, plus saving them from land filed?
Figure 7. From left to right, salon wall display, The Tiger Girl, The High Risk Housing.
Terry: When I look at an Amazon shipping box, for example, you see a box—I see the beginning of a dollhouse, an architectural structure, or even an entire installation like High Risk Housing. Once the structures emerged, I realized they needed inhabitants. Houses tell stories through the people who live in them, so I began creating figures to bring these spaces to life.
The same process happens with every material I encounter. A piece of Styrofoam packaging becomes a knitted vest for a trapeze artist. A bundle of discarded plastic straws transforms into an architectural framework or the playful scaffolding of a circus. What others overlook as waste, I see as possibility. Every object holds a hidden narrative waiting to be uncovered, inviting us to reconsider not only the materials we throw away but also the value we assign to the world around us.
Find Faces in a Variety of Different Objects
“Don't let logic impede your creativity .”_Terry Sand
Figure 8. Some of Terry's bottle art works. Watch Terry Sand's Bottle Art Workshop Here.
Leila: Terry, faces discovery dance all through your works, from paintings, to the bottle art, racket, stone, wooden spoons, brushes, and even improv (Honest Face/Lier Face performance). What interests you to find identity for these objects through discovering their face and emotions?
Terry: The challenge—and perhaps the gift—is that I see faces everywhere. I see them in nature, household utensils, appliances, tree trunks, and discarded objects. It is almost impossible for me not to imagine a personality or a story within the things around me.
Just yesterday, I walked past a construction site and noticed two pieces of discarded wood. One piece had been nailed onto another. The nails immediately became eyes, and the overlapping piece of wood became a face. What others saw as construction debris, I saw as a character waiting to come alive.
After a recent storm, I collected fallen palm fronds. As I held them, they no longer looked like leaves. They became faces. Every material seems to suggest what it wants to become.
This way of seeing shapes my entire artistic practice. I rarely begin with a fixed idea. Instead, I let the materials speak first. A cardboard box becomes a house, a piece of Styrofoam packaging becomes clothing, plastic straws become architectural forms, and scraps of fabric become people. I don't simply recycle materials—I collaborate with them. I believe every discarded object carries a hidden identity, waiting for someone to notice it.
A cardboard box becomes a house, a piece of Styrofoam packaging becomes clothing, plastic straws become architectural forms, and scraps of fabric become people. I don't simply recycle materials—I collaborate with them. I believe every discarded object carries a hidden identity, waiting for someone to notice it.
Figure 9. Some of participant's works from Terry's bottle Art workshop.
Collaborative Lens
Leila: looking at your exhibition brochure, you listed over 21 contributors—and we run out of space to include everyone. Knowing how many hands helped bring this exhibition to life, what does collaboration mean to you?
Terry: To me, working with others is what makes me who I am as an artist. The energy, exchange of ideas, and opportunity to share our talents with one another are incredibly powerful and expansive.
For example, when we installed my exhibitions, I laid out my body of work, and you envisioned how the installation could come together, how the pieces could be staged, and helped bring my artistic vision to life through the arrangement of the exhibition. Other collaborators contributed their unique skills as well, elevating the work in ways I could not have achieved alone. During the installation process, Mario’s technical expertise was invaluable in helping hang and position the pieces on the ceiling and compose the music. Marie-Jeanne amazingly took care of our “Insecurity Guard” team—a term intentionally used as part of the artwork and its artistic concept—making sure all three parts of the performance went smoothly and everyone was taken care of. Kimberly patiently adjusted all of our performers’ showcases, and the rest of the team did wonderful jobs in their related tasks, each bringing their own skills and contributions. Every person brought something essential, and together we created something much greater than what any of us could have done individually.
A circus is made up of many different acts—it is a multiplicity of talents coming together to create one show. Its strength lies in its diversity. That is why I love collaborating. Working with others allows me to grow beyond what I could achieve alone and become a better artist than I could be by myself.
FabMo Influence and Sustainability
Figure 10. Some of Terry’s works fuse FabMo materials including a beautiful piece of fabric transforming her horse (in the right) and a playful bunting (on the left).
Leila: I could trace some FabMo's materials in your works. What draws you to reclaimed materials, and what stories do you feel they already hold before you begin creating? Does working with rescued materials change the way you think about beauty, memory, or waste?
Terry: What I love about FabMo is that I
always feel like something is waiting for me to discover it. I go in with a completely open mind and a sense of creative curiosity. I never know exactly what I'm looking for until I find it. Even then, I may not know what it will become. Sometimes a material sits in a box for a week or even a month before the right idea comes along. Then, when I need it, it's there. I don't decide in advance how a material will be used—I let it reveal its self to me over the time. Sometimes, I have dream that my stored materials in the garage, are screaming at me in the night saying pick me, pick me... that I cannot sleep. Every things have to wait, waiting is part of the process.
Leila: Thank you so much, Terry, for sharing your journey and your inspiring work with the People Around Us audience.
The Artist’s Corner: Fun Facts & Favorites
In Terry's own words,
My most unusual studio companion is my hula hoop dancer, made to sit on a car dashboard.
The FabMo scrap material I can never resist taking home is the buttons.
I feel most in the creating flow when I listen to music.
A book or resource I recommend to every maker the joy of hot glue gum.
The studio tool I’d rescue first in an emergency is my hot glue gun.
An art piece that I never want to sell is my self portraits, because I don't wanna forget what I look like.
If I want to buy another artist’s craft, it is a blown glass because I am afraid of fire.
The materials that I collect the most is the things nobody wants to buy at thrift store.
Inspire • Create • Connect
As part of the People Around Us interview series, I invite readers to reflect on how each conversation might inform and enrich their own creative journey. Inspired by the artist's insights and experiences, these reflections highlight ideas that resonate beyond the interview itself.
Inspire
Trust Your Intuition: Let curiosity, play, and intuition guide your artistic choices.
Listen to the Environment: Find inspiration in everyday materials and overlooked objects, as Terry does with cardboard, rackets, and found elements.
Create
Embrace the Unpredictable: Allow experimentation and unexpected discoveries to shape your creative process.
Practice Creative Reuse: Transform discarded or surplus materials into new possibilities.
Collaborate and Expand: Let shared ideas and skills elevate your vision beyond what you could create alone.
Connect
Weave Community: Use art to create dialogue, connection, and shared experiences.
Participate in the Cycle: Engage with reuse communities like FabMo to share resources and keep materials in creative hands.
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