I had been a fan of Sally’s work long before I got to meet her in Taiwan during our residency at the Yingge Ceramic Museum. It was impressive to see her in action, she was only at the residency for one month and I think she created more work in that month than I had in the three months I’d been there, she’s amazingly productive!
I love how animated her forms are, it feels like they will just get up and start walking or swimming through the studio. Her use of pattern, color and carved textures only adds to the movement in her work. I also had no idea that she threw all her forms on the wheel, I had assumed everything was hand-built, so it was great to be able to watch and learn about her process. Not only is she an impressive sculptor with excellent craftsmanship but she is also the sweetest person, a stellar karaoke singer and she made me laugh until it hurt.
Check out the video below to see more images of her work…
About Sally Walk’s Work: My sculptural works are often on the edge, balanced, uneasy and restless, contrasting with a delicate prettiness that presents a sense of determination. They reference the illusions we create, how we present ourselves and what we determine as truth. Our outer shell is a façade, a beautiful illusion, but who we are is unclear. Our very existence is constructed, carefully controlled, meticulously edited. Only the edited version is apparent. What lies within or beyond the beautiful façade is lost, as reality teeters on the edge. This imbalance between what is real and what is not, is unnerving, and my ceramic sculptures explore this concept.
The shape of the forms are inspired by marine animals and microscopic imagery. I became interested in microscopic images after my mum was diagnosed with cancer, and unlikely positive to come from the situation. The virus-like rounded spikes were actually from some research I did into viruses that were being used to cure cancer. Oh how quickly that imagery has become linked to a pandemic.
You can follow Sally on Instagram and Facebook or visit her website to view more of her work.
Artists Sharing Artists: is a series of posts where I share some of my favorite artists who are also inspired by nature and use their art to protect what they love. More artists coming soon…