With mirrors as her canvas of choice, Queenstown artist Sally Bulling’s abstract works are layered with a reflective, boundless energy defined by charismatic colour pairings.
It was only recently that Sally returned to her creative discipline with full vigour. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and printmaking 21 years ago, she embarked on a successful career in fashion and art consulting. It wasn’t until the first lockdown of 2020 that she returned to her craft.
“Amidst the chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic, I found myself returning to my first love: painting. As the world slowed down and we were forced to confront the stillness of being at home, I felt a renewed sense of urgency to create. It was a homecoming of sorts,” she tells us.
“When I first graduated, I found the industry to be particularly challenging. During that time, the art industry had a notably smaller female presence, alongside limited exposure, fewer galleries, and minimal support outside of institutional structures. I distinctly remember feeling a strong perception of it being predominantly male-dominated. Fast forward 20 years when I re-embarked on my journey as an artist, so many things had changed.”
Sally is now represented in Auckland by Parnell Gallery, where her upcoming exhibition, entitled A Pansy For Your Thoughts, will present a diverse collection of work from the past year.
“The materials I use allow me to play with reflection and light; colours are vibrant, fun, and have a lot of energy.” Expressive marks are created through movement — sweeping brush strokes, drips, and flicks of paint dance together in playful tension across the surface.
Instantly drawing the viewer in, a luminous light and depth are captured through her works, which reflect the viewer’s own gaze and surroundings, offering an immersive interplay between viewer and artwork.
Moving around the colour spectrum, preserving layers of paint with veneers of poured liquid glass, the vibrancy of every work is unique to its moment of creation.
“With such a rich array of colour to delve into, I relish the freedom to follow my instincts and let the mood guide me. Each veneer holds its own uniqueness; as I mix highly concentrated pigments, it’s an intuitive process— a drop of this, a dash of that. Every colour is a singular creation, impossible to replicate.”
Pairing vibrant colours and more sombre hues, with the spectrum of rich golds — from whiskey golds to softer champagne tones — often linking the two, Sally’s abstract pieces are channelled with physical movements, elaborate pours, and layered gestures that capture the freedom of the stroke that bore their creation.
“Through my artwork, I seek to intertwine the timeless beauty of flowers with the energy of abstract expressionism. I hope to offer viewers a sanctuary of beauty, where they can find moments of introspection and connection. Flowers, for me, are not just subjects in my art but a gateway to a world of enduring elegance and natural splendour.”
A recent series inspired by Warhol’s iconic Flower screen prints, entitled “Flowers From: Andy”, takes her work to a more sculptural level. Each work comprises three individual pansies, created to hang together as a cluster.
A Pansy For Your Thoughts will be on display at Parnell Gallery 14–28 May 2024.
WIN
A bespoke piece from Sally Bulling’s Flowers From: Andy series in a colour palette of your choice, valued at $3000.
Enter your details below to go in the draw.
Entries close at 5pm on 31 May 2024. The winner will be drawn at random and contacted by HOME on 4 June 2024.
For an additional chance to win, head over to Instagram and follow @homemagazine.nz @parnellgallery and @sallybullingart
