"I invite you to experience my works and imagine for yourself what might lie beneath.” -Sally
I was born and raised in Wicklow, Ireland in a house of artists, bee keepers, gardeners and nature lovers. In my earliest memories I remember my parents pointing out the beauty in everything, the reflection of light bouncing off a hill, or the colors in a single blade of grass. They always encouraged me to notice and respect the world and my surroundings. Today my paintings are an expression of all that I see and feel around me.
I started my fine art education in Dublin, and later went on to start a career in Makeup Art. After nearly a decade in makeup I decided to return to my roots in painting and pursue my passion and dream as a professional artist. When I first put paint to canvas after so long, I felt I could once again speak in a way I don’t have words for, and express long dormant emotions.
Before I start a new work I am aware of the feelings I want to share. My choice of medium, color, brush and canvas are representative of these feelings, and from that point forward every brush stroke matters. The flow from hand to brush to paint and finally to substrate is one of the most satisfying experiences, speaking every unspoken word. On the canvas, after an acrylic or oil base, hundreds of colorful oil layers or put down and I manipulate the paint until it start to speak to me. I look for that story deep colors of the work, my brush searching for it with every stroke. This may take hours, sometimes even weeks. Through the process my paintings may travel through many phases, frequently entire scenes or subjects are covered, destined to exist forever under a newer coat of paint, but always there, part of the finished work
What inspires you?
I am inspired by the world around me. People, Art, Music, form, color sound texture all touch something in me and inspire me to paint. Watching form coming together and falling apart or staying still in a moment is a visual story to me. Sometimes it’s a feeling I wake up with. An unprovoked surge of inspiration that comes from within or maybe even a different place! Listening to all kinds of music while I’m painting is an important part of my processI I try to create shapes and color from the sounds I hear or the feelings I’m feeling. Or tell a story through layers of lines and washes of paint.
What was the moment you knew you wanted to be an artist?
I’ve been painting my whole life! It is the most natural way for me to express myself. After finishing high-school I went on to study fine Art in Ireland for a year before moving to the states. Soon After emigrating I started a makeup company with one of my favorite people on earth Bre Morris. We brought out each other’s creativity and had a lot of fun together through the years of building Alchemy Face Bar. It aloud me to be creative and still have a great career. There was a moment that made me realize I wanted to be an artist though.
Fully imbedded in the business world, I was way too busy to paint. Years later, while going though a bad heartbreak , I was begged by a friend to attend a local art show in Boulder with her . Not at all in the mood to be in public I walked into the art show and was instantly overwhelmed and uplifted by the display of the most beautiful paintings in front of me. They spoke to me and it felt like my hearts medicine was i front of me infact knew that it was! They were painted by an amazing artist named Sally King who has a home studio in Lyons CO. Meeting Sally King was a turning point for me and unknown to me at the time, the beginning of my career as an artist. I felt like I was home for the first time since Art college!
How do you seek out opportunity?
I’m always looking for inspiration in every moment, every feeling, every sound and vision. I don’t market myself or try to get work but somehow I’m always busy! I show some of my art process including videos of me painting my abstracts in my studio on my Instagram page Sally Mina Art from time to time to let people see what I’m up to.
What is your dream project?
I would love to paint a mural on a 20 ft high wall over the space of a year with total freedom using all sorts of different mediums from fabric to gold leaf, acrylic, oil and watercolor paints! One day!
What is the best piece of advice you were given?
The best advice was from a local Boulder artist named Sally King. ”Just start painting and enjoy the process, don’t think about the outcome. The world needs more art!” She told me to stop listening to the story mind ego/mind I kept telling myself. The excuses for me not to paint or fear of forgetting how to paint . After taking 8 years off from painting I was afraid to get back into it. She told me to ignore the story I was telling myself and to watch myself go head anyway and set up that canvas, dip that brush into the paint and to go for it. I did and the rest is history. I’ve been painting non stop since then! If I feel the need for an art break I allow myself but keep up going to galleries and feeding my inspiration. I have helped other artists with this same advice and they too have not looked back! Some of them didn’t even know they were artists until they started! Sometimes we need to step out of our own way!
If you are a local artist/crafter/maker/indie business owner and would like to be featured on our blog, please fill out this form or contact Ashley at ashley@westandmainhomes.com with questions...we can't wait to learn all about you!
