Career overview
Sandra Jane is an Australian visual arts educator, author, and artist with a distinguished career spanning four decades. She has taught visual art and photography for 30+ years and has held the position of
Head of Visual Arts at Loreto Mandeville Hall, Toorak, for 30 years, where she has played a pivotal role in shaping a dynamic and highly respected visual arts program.
Throughout her career, Sandra has been deeply committed to arts education, curriculum development, and mentoring both students and colleagues. She has presented professional learning programs for art teachers at institutions including the National Gallery of Victoria and Melbourne University and has contributed extensively to curriculum and assessment development within Victorian secondary education.
Sandra is the author of four widely used and influential art and photography textbooks, written in response to the need for accessible, practical, and conceptually strong resources for secondary students and teachers.
These publications include:
- Photography: Production and Appreciation (1996; revised edition 2009)
- Art Is… Making, Creating and Appreciating (1998)
- Art Is… Making, Creating and Appreciating 2 (1999)
Her textbooks have supported generations of students in developing technical skills, critical thinking, and an understanding of visual language across both traditional and digital media.
Under Sandra’s leadership, Loreto Toorak has consistently achieved outstanding outcomes in senior visual arts, with regular representation in the Victorian Top Arts exhibition and multiple Premier’s Awards. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that every student possesses creative potential, and that confidence, encouragement, and curiosity are central to artistic growth.
Alongside her extensive career in education, Sandra maintains an active studio practice. After many years devoted to teaching and authorship, she is returning to public exhibition, marking an important new chapter in her artistic journey.