“My whole life I was interested in drawing,” she said. “My parents saw my interest and put me in art classes. I also had a very influential high school art teacher. As I progressed in school, I took painting more seriously and decided to make a career out of it.”
Salley’s pursuit of that dream took her to Anderson University in Indiana where she earned a bachelor’s degree in painting and to Boston University where she earned her master’s in painting. She also lived in Vermont and Berlin, Germany.
Now Salley is working for one of her own favorite artists, Kyle Staver, in New York. Staver makes large-scale figure paintings and small sculptural reliefs. Her subject matter ranges from couples in domestic interiors to rural scenes based on her own life to the mythological.
Painting the personal resonated with Salley, who uses everyday life as the inspiration for her own works.
“All my paintings are based on my personal experiences and memories,” she explained. ” Many of the ones I’m currently painting are based on my experiences, people I know and the love I’ve developed for New England.”
For Salley, painting is more than a fun hobby — it’s an outlet for making a difference.
“I don’t just paint because I enjoy it,” she explained. “I think it is a way to express yourself when words aren’t enough. My role as a painter is to create empathy between groups of people who wouldn’t normally have sympathy towards one another.”
Salley’s art is gaining in popularity.
In December, her paintings were on display at the Miller Yezerski Gallery in Boston — her first commercial show. She experienced her first international exhibition in Berlin in June 2013. Now through Feb. 13, her work is featured in an emerging artists exhibition at Anderson University.
“I’m working towards gallery representation in New York and planning to apply to more residencies and shows in the New York area,” she said. “It’s hard work, but making a career out of painting is possible. Finishing graduate school, having these shows, moving to New York — it’s exciting. Now I’m truly a professional artist and not just a student anymore.”
Salley’s artwork can be viewed online at www.giordannesalley.com.
About the Author