Sally Browne B.1974 Portsmouth UK. Lives and works in Sydney Australia.
Hello and welcome to my Bluethumb page. I am a full time artist who has been practising on and off since 1993. My ‘gap year’ from the UK to Sydney in 1994 turned into 30 years, and I’m proud to call Australia home. I have always been interested in plants and natural history, so I instantly felt an affinity with the unique landscape and wildlife of my new country. I find purpose and meaning spending time alone in nature (usually with my sketchbook). This quiet contemplation is good for my mental health and also informs my painting practice.
My practice is centred around drawing and has evolved from my formal studies of surface pattern design, painting, printmaking and graphic design. For as long as I can remember I have been drawn to East Asian aesthetics, in particular the spontaneity of Sumi e ink paintings and the motifs found in Ukiyo e prints. I use the formal qualities of these centuries old artworks as a jumping off point to reinterpret into my own visual language.
My artistic process is characterized by a profound appreciation for experimentation and spontaneity. I focus on the material aspects of painting, the interaction of colors, and the thrill of unplanned experimentation. Guided by the evolving dialogue between myself and my canvas, I embrace each mark with responsiveness and fluidity. This process-led, intuitive method allows me to be guided by the painting itself—responding to each new mark as I see fit in that moment. I begin with plant-like forms, painting over them and repainting again without a specific outcome in mind, until they transform into something else entirely. Through this dynamic interplay, I invite viewers to embark on a visual journey where the boundaries between intention and chance dissolve.
I relaunched my full-time painting career in 2015 and have been a finalist in several national art awards including the Calleen Award, Greenway Open Art Prize, Lethbridge, Bluethumb Art Prize and the National Contemporary Watercolour Prize. My licensed artwork is currently featured on homewares and gift ranges nationally (keep an eye out next time you’re in Dymocks) and I exhibit regularly in solo and group exhibitions in Galleries throughout Australia. I am currently completing my BFA at Sydney's National Art School, majoring in painting (and loving every minute of it) I am immersed in experimentation mode under the guidance of some of Australia's leading contemporary artists, and excited to be evolving my practice and keeping it fresh. I am extremely grateful to be able to do what I love for a living, and I hope you enjoy my artworks as much as I enjoy creating them.