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Sally Elmer
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Sally is
an artist who enjoys her weekends observing and
researching our native wildlife, discovering a diversity
of colour, texture and character. She then combines her
eye for detail with her artistic talent to recreate these
discoveries on canvas. In 16 years as a scientific illustrator of publications and promotional material for the Queensland Museum, Sally explored the structure and texture of nature's creatures in her work. Among her many achievements is a mural at the Taronga Park Zoo Reptile House. |
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unerring skill, Sally captures wildlife images and melds
them in a way that brings viewers very much into her
scenes. A love of Australia's unique flora and fauna is
reflected in the detail so painstakingly built, layer
upon layer. Nature has, if anything been improved upon. "I spend hours watching intended subjects in their natural habitat to capture a particular pose or gesture," she says. She often observes from life at close quarters at Currumbin Sanctuary to develop a theme. Compositional sketches follow, then the slow process of layering in detail, texture and mood. "There must always be an element of control so as not to loose the original concept as I paint. Works can take months for completion. Fortunately, inspiration is always there." |
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Highlights:
1987 Gold Medal at the Brisbane Art Directors Awards for a museum poster entitled "Toxic plants and Animals" 1991 Selected to exhibit in the $75,000.00 James Hardie Wildlife Art Prize 1995 Won "Best Bird" Queensland Wildlife Artists Exhibition 1996 Won "Best Animal" Queensland Wildlife Artists Exhibition 1997 Won "Best Classic Moment in Wildlife Art" Queensland Wildlife Artists Exhibition First Solo Exhibition at Bold in Gold Fine Art Gallery
2000 "Sacred Ibis" selected to exhibit in "Birds in Art" exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in America (90 paintings selected from over 900 entries from around the world). "Sacred Ibis" has been selected to tour the United States for a year. 2001 "Australasian Little Grebe" selected to exhibit in "Birds in Art" exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. Commissioned to paint a 14 meter mural at Mary Cairncross Park in Maleny
Sally's work is included in "Feathers and Brush - 3 Centuries of Australian Bird Art" by Penny Olson.
Second highly successful Solo exhibition at Bold in Gold Fine Art Gallery
Woodson Art Museum acquires painting of Sally Elmer for Museum's permanent collection.
2002 "Australian Pelican" selected to exhibit in "Birds in Art" exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. 2003 Finalist in "The Waterhouse natural History Art Prize 2003" 2004 "Sea Gulls" selected to exhibit in "Birds in Art" exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. Finalist in "The Waterhouse natural History Art Prize 2004"
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