For her exhibition Arm of the Sea and the Fertile Tree Sally Anderson uses flowers, windows and the landscape to explore how we remember or hold onto memories through objects or places.

There are many layers to Sally’s paintings - some you see and some you don’t. Her paintings have been described as ‘libraries’ because they hold a lot of meaning, even if the viewer doesn’t know exactly what the stories are. For this ART PLAY we are going to create a window postcard with special meaning to you. You can send this postcard to someone you love or keep it as a memento.

You will need coloured card or paper, textas, scissors and glue. Read on to find how how to create a window from your world. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/Ok6Lwx-rPRg

ART PLAY: A WINDOW FROM MY WORLD TO YOURS

Sally Anderson Bundjalung Boormans Birth Banksias and the Piano lesson with Laying Tweed Tree, 2020, acrylic on polycotton, 274 x 168 cm

Exercise 1

ART PLAYA WINDOW FROM MY WORLD TO YOURS

Using the shapes provided or creating your own, draw, cut and paste a window to your world. What special objects do you want to place on your window sill? Does your window have a curtain or a balcony with a decorative screen like Sally has painted above? Does your window look out to a mountain or a garden?

EXERCISE 1:

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Sally AndersonLoch Linhe Sea, Ile St Louis Balcony, Boormans Banksia, 2020, acrylic on polycotton, 137 x 168 cm

Coloured paper or card is a great way to make your window. It is easy to cut and you can change your design as you go along. Simply glue your shapes down once you have them where you want them. You can then use pens and textas or collage to decorate your window.

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ART PLAYHOW MANY SHAPES DO YOU SEE?

Exercise 2

Using the same format as before:

• Cut • Arrange • Glue• Draw

Remember you can keep adding shapes and details as you go along.

How many shapes do you see in Sally Anderson’s painting Tulips and the Lesson with Red and Blue You?

EXERCISE 2:

Remember you are creating a window to your world, and you can choose what you would like to see inside and outside of your window. You can use the shapes you see here for inspiration, or make up your own. Maybe your window doesn’t have a flower at all, maybe your window has a favourite pet or musical instrument!

Sally AndersonTulips and the Lesson with Red and Blue You, 2020, acrylic on polycotton, 137 x 168 cm

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INSIDE AND OUT

Look at the doors and windows in your home or visit the Gallery and see if you can find these doors, windows and the decorative screen in Margaret Olley’s re-creation.

Sally Anderson was born in Lismore, NSW, and studied at Southern Cross University (Lismore) as well as UNSWArt & Design (Sydney). Sally is represented by Olsen Gallery in Sydney and Edwina Corlette Gallery in Brisbane. In 2017 Anderson was artist in residence at the Nancy Fairfax Studio (Tweed Regional Gallery). Residencies are very important opportunities for artists to focus on making work. In her exhibition Arm of the Sea and the Fertile Tree, you can see she has included the large hoop pines (or Richmond River Pines) that make up the beautiful view from the Gallery veranda.

Toponomy

Toponomy is the study of place names, their origins and meanings. In Sally‘s exhibition she uses the name of where she was born as a way to generate ideas about painting. This helps her to think about the connection between the place where she was born and the experience of being a mother.

Sharing the way you see the world

Sally sometimes includes the works of other artists in her paintings. Try sharing the exercise with a friend - it’s like seeing things from their eyes. You can even begin one and send it to a friend for them to finish, and then send back to you. You might be surprised to see the world from their eyes!

A BIG THANK YOU TO SALLY ANDERSON FOR INSPIRING US FOR THIS ART PLAY!

DID YOU KNOW?

One of the things that makes Sally’s paintings so special is the way the inside and the outside combine. Imagine your favourite landscape is just outside your window. Is it a mountain or the sea - or someplace else? You can bring your landscape inside your room if you like, with rivers or mountains on your walls.