Sally J. Smith

Artist's Statement Update: July 2018: I am thrilled to announce that my new website is up and running! I have many new galleries of images of my Fairy Houses as well as my Environmental sculptures and for the first time, my watercolor painting are also being shown. Do come by for a visit! https://sallyjsmithart.com For over 22 years I was a successful watercolor painter. Then, in 2006 I felt the calling to work more directly with the landscape. To be intimately immersed in its magic, rather than just trying to capture a moment on paper. The calling took me deep into the forests, fields and rivers of the beautiful Adirondack mountains of Northern New York. I left my painting table behind and have never looked back. I make sculptures out in the environment out of natural materials. This may sound rather boring ... until you see the work. Many have compared my work to the British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy and I only hope that I can ascend part way up the lofty path he has cleared for those few of us who do engage the Earth directly in the making of our art. The process is mysterious. Sometimes it begins with an idea, or an inner prompting to work with a particular space or material. Always what is required is a deep sensitivity to the rhythms of the landscape, the seasonal shifts and the flight of the sun or moon across the sky. One enters the creative process the same way one enters a secret glade in the forest- quietly and with reverence. Keeping the lines of communication open between myself and whatever natural forces may be present in the moment allows me to see more deeply into a moment and bring forward something new and different. After a decade of this work, developing my own methods, techniques and tricks it seemed time to share the work on a different level with the world and help others enjoy the fun and deep pleasure that can come from making a wee bit of magic out of the simplest of materials. My new book "Fairy Houses - How to make whimsical houses for the fairy folk" will hopefully inspire people of all ages to engage in a dialog with nature in new ways - from respectfully collecting materials to seeing places that inspire a bit of playful creativity, this book will give you lots of practical, how-to guidance so you can be inspired to make your own glorious hermitages for the Soul. I love living on the fringe of what is considered "normal" and continue to thrive in the liminal spaces between the visible and invisible realms where magic still exists and the flow of timelessness is experienced regularly. I am a bridge person, of that I am sure....the rest is still a work-in-progress. Sally J Smith https://sallyjsmithart.com