Sally James Thomas

Living and working in a rural, coastal environment continually influences Sally's use of colour, mark-making and subject matter. Strength and presence are explored through combined techniques, contrasted with the ephemeral and disintegration. Natural and synthetic forms are integrated, reflecting the brutal precariousness in which nature strives to thrive. The threats to the natural world and its intractable beauty are a constant thread.
Time spent on Skomer Island offered a glimpse into seabirds' parallel existence — indicators of environmental crisis, the global and local. Migratory paths and crossed boundaries speak to the 'other'; absent, unclearly depicted lives allude to humanity's growing disconnect from nature. An experimental printmaking practice uses each technique for its inherent qualities rather than multiples. Plates layer and connect with painting, stitch and found objects, creating tactility that invites engagement. Sally was awarded the John Purcell Prize at Print International Biennale 2021 and is represented by Celf Gallery, Cardiff.