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Set amongst trees on a grassy hillside overlooking the Karkloof Valley, my art studio is where I spend much of my time thinking, exploring and creating without distraction. It is also a gathering place for kindred spirits who wish to join me in sharing ideas and making art together. It has been described by those who have spent time in it as a magical red tent, a space where transformation happens without one even being aware of it.
The activities within my studio are very varied, and I move from one genre to another depending upon mood and season. I draw, write, paint, sew and journal, sometimes separately, but at other times bringing the media together.
The quiet, concentrated time I spend in the studio is akin to meditation and has taught me much about myself and the world around me. Through trial and error, I have learned to trust the creative process and allow my inner impulses to take me where they will. I have discovered the deep satisfaction that comes with creation and it is my joy to be able to share it.
Fibre art is a medium through which I can most effectively express the abstract, emotional aspects of my life experience. The rich colours and tactile quality of fabrics, leathers, threads and beads, stimulate memory and bring back moments in time that lie buried deep within the sub-conscious. Working with them allows me to bring light to the shadows and to explore thoughts that I might not otherwise have been able to express.
My involvement with textiles goes back to my early childhood, when my artistically talented mother taught me all the basic sewing skills. In the late 1960’s, I was introduced to batik work and the magical process of hand-dyeing cloth. I spent many years developing and honing these skills, loving the natural effects that can be attained through manipulating both cloth and dye. In the 1980’s, I worked for Your Family, a well- known South African craft magazine and developed a wide variety of textile techniques, which I shared with readers though monthly step-by-step projects.
At much the same time, whilst living in Durban, I was introduced to traditional and not-so traditional quilt-making and a whole new world opened up to me. Not comfortable with reproducing other people’s patterns and designs, I began experimenting with new ways to approach this age old craft. I soon became known as the artist who broke the rules and over the many years since that time, have developed a reputation for forging my own path, often using recycled and ‘found’ materials, set within these time honoured traditions of embroidery, applique and quilt-making.
None of this somewhat rebellious nature, revealed in my textile work is really surprising, for I come from a family of pioneers, and this instinct for finding new paths runs deeply through my veins. I had an incredibly adventurous father, a decorated wartime pilot and would-be farmer, who wasn’t scared to follow his dreams, no matter how ludicrous they seemed to others. He encouraged me to believe in myself, to have big dreams and to follow them. This attitude has definitely rubbed off on me and through my work I continue to explore and stretch boundaries.
Since the late 1980’s I have been an active member of South Africa’s fibre art community and my work has been exhibited widely both locally and internationally. On the three occasions that I have entered the World Quilt and Textile Competition in the USA, I have received prestigious awards, including The Best Use of Colour and First Prize in the Innovative category. I designed the academic regalia for UKZN and CPUT universities and I am a founder member of the Fibreworks Group, whose role is to support and encourage fibre artists of South Africa.
I love to travel into wilderness areas, gathering inspiration from the landscapes I travel through. I document my observations through photography, ink and pencil sketches as well as the written word, and find deep satisfaction from sitting on a rock and drawing the scene before me. I generally find a sketchbook to be a better reminder of a journey than only taking photographs.
When I return to the studio, it’s usually for a pen or chalk pastel that I reach. Both mediums are tremendously satisfying for capturing what I want to recreate. Pen and ink wash work well for quick preparatory drawings, but it’s the chalk pastel that feels the most natural medium for me to use for larger works. I love the immediacy of the medium and its rich, seductive, luminous quality that lends itself so well to the type of work that I do. In these chalk pastel landscape paintings, I hope to bring the viewer with me, to experience a sense of being there in that space and to feel the spirit of the place.
My landscape paintings really developed during my years in the Eastern Cape and I held regular exhibitions at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. My work features in numerous private collections and I am honoured to accept commissions.
Visual story-telling comes through in all of my work, but it’s through my sketchbooks and art journals that I find the greatest opportunity for self-expression and experimentation. The intimacy of working in a book that I can open and close at random and store away for future viewing, means that I can be spontaneous in the moment and put down whatever is on my mind. I can experiment and work intuitively, using whatever medium seems appropriate, and with no preconceived results in mind, I can be as adventurous as I please. I find the process playful, fun and enormously therapeutic.
However, it’s not only the playful aspect that appeals to me about art journaling. The process suits me well, because I am a thinker, and I tend to see most situations symbolically so journaling provides me with a space for introspection, reflection and making visual the experiences of my life.
The joy of creating an art journal is that one can use a mixture of photography, stitch, paint, drawing, collage, as well as the written word, creating a visual feast that tells a story, uplifts the spirits and heals in the process.
I share these skills through art retreats and workshops.
I set out in life to become a teacher and I became an artist along the way. As a result, I have a wealth of experience from being a practicing artist and from having taught hundreds, if not, thousands of students over the past 30-40 years. My students have come from all walks of life and have represented a wide range of ages, genders, races and levels of economic standing and skill level. I have taught in high schools, universities, art centres and townships, as well as at national and international festivals.
I love my teaching and value the richness that it has brought to my life. My goal is always to reassure, to build trust and confidence, along with the necessary skills to empower the students to believe in themselves.
No matter what the subject may be, I teach people to SEE more clearly so that the world becomes a richer place. I encourage people to live more creatively and to integrate what they learn in their classes into their everyday life, knowing that every situation, whether perceived to be good or bad, provides material from which to create.
I see each person as an individual and encourage them to develop their talents so that they achieve a personal style. I am able to identify their strengths and natural leanings and help them develop these qualities so that they stand out from the crowd. I help students to find a way to express themselves and encourage them to do so. I have compassion and empathy and honour the fact that each of their life experiences has led them to where they are.
I currently have a selection of classes and workshops available, which may be viewed in the workshop section. New, exciting classes, workshops and retreats will be added as they become available.
Copyright 2022 | Sally Scott
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