Sally Bulling
Don’t be a Pansy – in Karma Blue Butterfly
Epoxy Glass, Pigments & Metallic Mixed Media on Mirror
720 x 1350 mm
Artists Statement:
“As the mirrors bloomed in mass within my studio, so did this artwork.
Seeking to evoke the whimsy and romance of witnessing a large cluster of flowers, I’ve embarked on a journey to explore the delicate essence of the pansy through scale. Drawing inspiration from nature, particularly the expansive clusters in which pansies bloom, I’ve endeavoured to capture their voluminous presence through layers of mirror and colour.
Each layer meticulously placed to mimic the intricate beauty of a bloom, the artwork unfolds as a tapestry of floral abundance. Playing with the juxtaposition of scale, I aim to capture the delicate yet expansive nature inherent in these blooms. The Karma Blue colour palette, ranging from French, Sapphire and Sky Blues with Steel and Liquid Gold metallics, adds a captivating dimension to the piece. By infusing each bloom with layers of translucent liquid glass, I aim to deepen and enrich the complexity of colour, creating a really special pallet of rich hues. The reflective surfaces of the mirrors add another layer of complexity, casting light and shadow in mesmerising patterns as you move around the work.
This interplay between light, colour, and form allows viewers to witness the overlap where the ethereal beauty of nature meets the allure of art.”
Sally Bulling is a contemporary New Zealand artist, creating abstract paintings in sculptural, wall-mounted layers that evoke an infinite energy.
Bulling’s works feature combinations of vibrant and alluring colour with rich golds, channelled into her sculptural forms. Expressive marks are created through movement, sweeping brush strokes, drips, and flicks dance together in playful tension across the surface. Every layer of the work is sensitively considered to engage and delight the viewer.
Bulling utilises mirror as her canvas, her veneers of poured liquid glass preserving the layers of paint, while the shaped edges and painted backs project an aura of light and colour on to the wall behind.
A unique and luminous light and depth is captured through her works, reflecting the viewer’s own gaze and surroundings, offering an immersive sense of interplay between viewer and artwork.