Sally Mann

I am from Crosby, Liverpool (see Antony Gormley's 'Another Place') & as far as I know I have always 'done art'. Went to Cardiff Art College at 16 & at 18 I took a 1-year Secretarial course. At 19 Invited by relatives to come to Canada & I jumped at the chance. In the next 2 decades I had 4 kids, moved back to UK, then back to Canada. Despite working, having the kids & living quite a crazy existence I always found time for art. Back to UK in 80s after becoming a widow & took a 4-year ceramic course in N. Wales. Lost my eldest son in 1994 & moved back to Canada. Got remarried & divorced, & married again. Lived in Spain for 18 months to take care of my Mum. Moved to Ladysmith from the Okanagan in 2005 & joined the Waterfront Gallery & have been immersed in art & loving it ever since. I recently became widowed again after the death of my husband Jack (Alan).

Much of my work over the past 30 years has been described as whimsical & I'm ok with that. I feel art doesn't always have to have a 'message' as such, so if it delights the viewer I'm happy. I paint & draw a lot but I love 3-D. I worked with clay for 20 years & in recent years have switched to papiermache, finished off with epoxy clay. I find I can work bigger & more outrageously in these media without fear of breakage & also allows the easy integration of mixed media.