ARTISTIC HISTORY

 

Like artists everywhere, I’ve “done” art forever and finally landed in the craft of basketry in 1982.  But I did not follow the directions of the instructor, but instead forged my own techniques and style.  After 33 years of doing Art Shows, I retired from art shows in March of 2018, at the end of the Gasparilla Arts Festival, in Tampa, Florida.

 

INDUSTRY SERVICE

 

Director position on the Board for The National Association of Independent Artists (NAIA) September 2003 – December 2009

Chairman of the NAIA Board of Directors January 2007 – December 2009

Acting Executive Director of NAIA October 2007 – December 2009

NAIA webmaster 2006 – December 2009

 

Creator and owner of ArtShowArtists.com, a free directory of over 3,000 artists that exhibit in art shows as part of their arts business.  2000 – 2011.  (The site is now obsolete however the photos and data are archived.)

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Director position on the Board for the Fenton Arts Council (FAC, Fenton Michigan) October 2014 – present.

FAC webmaster, newsletter editor and Communications Chair November 2014 – present.

 

PROCESS

 

Imagine  a large, convoluted shape of air.  Next imagine weaving vine-like pieces of rattan and palm around that shape to enclose and define it.  That is how these shapes are created.

 

“A piece may begin as a response to a mood, the essence of a shape, or a feeling about a material, a texture or color combination.  The most successful work comes when I am able to sustain that feeling and follow it, allowing the piece to become what it needs to be.  Certainly I look to create beauty.  More importantly, I look to evoke an emotional reaction within the person viewing a work.”

 

Each basket is an original creation, designed and woven entirely by Sally without assistance from employees, apprentices or helpers.  She first studies an idea through drawings and fashioning small clay models.  As she begins work on the actual piece, Sally mentally/visually enlarges the design to full size.  She does not use molds or armatures to form her creations.  The flowing shapes are deliberately formed during the weaving;  gradually building the shape one row, one ‘stitch’ at a time.  Her creations are woven mostly of rattan and palm.  After completion of the weaving, she applies 40 – 50 coats of translucent acrylic paint, and several coats of sealant.  Depending on the intricacy of the design and the detail involved, it may take up to three months to complete a piece.

 

RECENT AWARDS

 

AWARD of EXCELLENCE       Tampa, FL                                2014

BEST of SHOW                       W. Bloomfield, MI                    2012

AWARD of EXCELLENCE       W. Bloomfield, MI                    2013

AWARD of EXCELLENCE       Fort Worth, TX                         2012

BEST of MEDIUM                   Estero, FL                                2012, 2013

BEST of MEDIUM                   Boca Raton, FL                        2011       

BEST of MEDIUM                   Estero, FL                                2012, 2011

BEST of SHOW                       Estero, FL                                2010

BEST of SHOW - 3D               Kansas City, MO                      2009

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE      Kansas City, MO                      2008

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE      Tampa, FL                               2008

BEST of SHOW                        Birmingham, MI                     2005

BEST of SHOW                        Bonita Springs, FL                 2004

BEST of SHOW                        Sun Valley, ID                         2001

Fine Crafts, 3rd Place         

Northern Virginia Arts Show Reston, VA                             2003

BEST of MEDIUM               

Boca Raton Museum              Boca Raton, FL                      2003

AWARD OF DISTINCTION          

Bonita Springs National        Bonita Springs, FL                 2003

BEST of SHOW                    

Lafayette Art Festival            Lafayette, IN                           2002

 

The judges of this event were Graeme Reid, Associate Curator of Exhibitions and Kim Cridler, director of the Artist in Residency program.  Both of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

 

JUDGES AWARD               

Main St. Art Festival              Ft. Worth, TX                           2002

AWARD OF DISTINCTION     

Bonita Springs National       Bonita Springs, FL                  2002   

BEST of MEDIUM               

Austin Fine Arts Festival      Austin, TX                                2000

BEST of MEDIUM               

Lakefront Art Festival           Milwaukee                               1998

 

Judges of this event were Darrel Sewell, Curator of American Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Ed Maldonado, Associate Curator, Chicago Cultural Center, and Soledad Salame, Multi-media Artist.

 

BEST of MEDIUM                     

Fine Crafts Show                   Highland Park, IL                   2000

BEST of SHOW                    

New Orleans Jazz Fest         New Orleans                           1999

BEST of SHOW                    

Artigras                                   W. Palm Beach                       1998

BEST of SHOW                    

Lakeshore Festival                Evanston, IL                            1995

BEST of MEDIUM               

Lakeshore Festival                Evanston, IL                            1998, 1997

2nd BEST of SHOW              

Las Olas Museum Show       Ft. Lauderdale, FL                  1996

BEST of SHOW                    

Manatee Fine Arts Fest        Crystal River, FL                      1996

ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AWARD                       

Atlanta Arts Festival             Atlanta                                      1997, 1996

FIRST PLACE                      

TS Festival of Art                   Tarpon Springs, FL                 1999

ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AWARD                        

Arts, Beats & Eats                  Pontiac, MI                              1999

2nd PLACE                             

Artigras                                   W. Palm Beach                        1999

JUDGES AWARD               

Cain Park Festival                  Cleveland Heights, OH           1997,1996

MERIT AWARD                  

Columbus Art Fair                 Columbus, OH                          1996

MERIT AWARD                  

Uptown Arts Fair                    Minneapolis, MN                     1994,1993

ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE AWARD                        

Colorado Indian Market         Denver, CO                               1999

 

EXHIBITS

Solo Invitational Exhibit at the Ferris Wheel                        2018                Flint, Mi

LAAC Fine Art Exhibit                                                             2015                Fenton, Mi

Invitational Exhibit at Sotheby’s                                            2012                Islamorada, FL           

Solo Exhibit, Jazz Baskets                                                     2011                Peoria, IL

Invitational Winner’s Exhibit                                                 2004                Reston, VA

Invitational Exhibit  with the Gatherers                                2002                Keystone, Colorado

Invitational Exhibit  with the Gatherers                                2002                Omaha, Nebraska

Greater Flint Arts Council                                                      2002                Flint, Michigan               

            (2nd place award)

Genesys Hospital Art Exhibit                                                 2002                Flint, Michigan

Kennedy Center Invitational                                                  1999                Washington, D.C.                              

Best of Guild Exhibit  (Michigan National Arts Guild)          1991                Ann Arbor, Michigan

Solo Exhibit at Curwood Castle                                             1988                Owosso, Michigan

Basketweave 88                                                                      1988                Athens, Ohio

            (show poster)

Solo Exhibit at American Hartland Theatre                         1997                Kansas City, Missouri

Fiber Celebrated                                                                     1987                Northern Arizona University

Cotton Daze – Summer Haze                                                1987                Louisiana State University

 

COLLECTIONS

 

Amoco,  US Ambassador to Estonia official residence, State of Michigan, Longmont United Hospital,  Barnett Bank,  MSI Insurance, Morgan & Myers,  Buffalo Ridge Insurance,  Expert DesignWare,  Odyssey Marine Exploration, Creative Strategies Group, M Crowd Restaurant Group

 

JUDGING

 

Fenton, MI ArtWalk selection committee      2017, 2016

Estero Fine Arts Show                                    2015

Orchard Lake Fine Arts Show                        2013

Sun Valley Art & Craft Festival                       2003

Arts, Beats & Eats (Art/Craft Fest)                2003