BOOK DESIGNER
Sandy has been a freelance book designer since 2006.
Prior to freelancing, Sandy was an in-house designer for more than a decade at Penguin Books Australia, working on projects mostly within the Lantern imprint.
Currently Sandy works across all genres but mostly, adult fiction and non-fiction.
PODCAST, BLOGGER
In 2010, Sandy started an industry blog about book design to initiate conversation and the sharing of ideas and observations between designers and others affiliated within the local publishing industry.
You can read that first blog post here:
http://aboutbookdesign.blogspot.com/2010/06/hello-and-welcome.html
In 2018, Sandy contributed to a Wheeler Centre podcast on book design, and to blogs for the University of Queensland Press, Black Inc. and the ‘Books+Publishing’ Newsletter.
PUBLIC SPEAKER
Sandy has been a guest speaker and/or panel member at Clunes Booktown, Creative Women’s Circle, Melbourne Writers' Festival, Melbourne Lyceum Club, Sydney Writers' Festival, Williamstown Writers' Festival and several tertiary institutions.
In February 2024 she will be a panel member at the Glen Eira Storytelling Festival.
JUDGE
She has been a judge for the Australian Publishing Association Book Design Awards and the Illustrators Australia Awards.
INDUCTEE, HALL OF FAME
In 2011, Sandy was inducted into the Australian Publishing Association Joyce Thorpe Nicholson Hall of Fame, in recognition for her services to the publishing industry.
LETTERPRESS PRINTER – THE DWELL
In 2012 Sandy bought a circa. 1891 Arab foolscap platen press, (serial # 2133), and began collecting the accoutrements to start a dream project – printing a series of Australian short fiction in limited edition.
To that end, Sandy continues to be a participant in a series of printing and binding courses learning from many masters in the craft.
In 2024, with a particular interest in short story Australian fiction, Sandy has re-committed to, and re-invigorated her letterpress venture, The Dwell Printery. (Watch this space!)
CO-FOUNDER, ABDA
In 2014, Sandy was a founding committee member of the Australian Books Designers' Association.
INVISIBLE WOMEN
In 2016, Sandy was selected to be involved in the project by Jane Connory, Invisible: Women in Australian Graphic Design, which explores under-recognised women who've made a significant contribution within graphic design in Australia.
WILLIAMSTOWN LITERARY FESTIVAL
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Since 2022, Sandy has been a committee member for the annual Williamstown Literary Festival, designer of the annual anthology for the writing awards, ‘The Adas’.