Sally Walk

Artist Profile

Biography

In her latest work Sally Walk embarks upon unfamiliar territory. Personally driven by order, monotony and sameness puts the artist at ease and in her practice, creating a familiar script to follow. A technically exceptional and highly regarded ceramicist, this has led the artist to aesthetically and technically ‘perfect’ forms. Walk’s foundational drive to structure her world was upset by the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, and the artist’s previous body of work, Perfection Flawed, made an attempt to counterbalance an intrusion upon order by imposing and exaggerating strict rules of symmetry and balance.

This work is about the exact opposite. Now free to release that need for order, Walk introduces more sculpturally organic forms to her practice. Indeed, the artist has observed that her conceptions of perfection were hindering her ability to see beyond that which made her feel safe (technique, symmetry, order). With a newly re-discovered freedom, Walk has a new perspective on what is perfect, a perspective that finds it acceptable to be a little ‘off centre’. In this latest series of ceramic sculptures, there is a deliberate relinquish of control, finding the beauty in the hidden spaces of morphed organic forms.

Sally Walk is a Melbourne based ceramicist who has been working in clay for over 25 years. She has exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally. Most recently at Taoxichuan in Jingdezhen China. Among a slew of accolades, in 2022 she was awarded the North Queensland Ceramics Award and in 2015 she was awarded the Lorenzo il Magnifico Award for Ceramics at the Florence Biennale. Her work is held in private and public institutions internationally including the Yinnge Ceramics Museum (Taiwan) and Jingdezhen International Studio Collection (China)’ and the Seto Cultural Glass and Ceramics Museum in Seto (Japan). Walk is also a member of the UNESCO International Academy of Ceramics (IAC). Sally Walk makes her Sydney Contemporary debut with James Makin Gallery in 2022.

BIOGRAPHY

Exhibitions

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2022
‘Relinquished Control’ James Makin Gallery, Melbourne AUSTRALIA

2021
Out of the Darkness, James Makin Gallery, Australia

2020
Humanity Re-Imagined, James Makin Gallery, Australia

2019
Community Collaborative Wall Sculputre, Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

2018
New works, Artifact Gallery, New York
New works, Suki and Hugh Gallery, Bungendore

2016
Semblance, Suki and Hugh Gallery, Bungendore

2015
Discourse, Briagalong Gallery, Briagalong

2012
My Gippsland, Town and Country Gallery, Gippsland

2011
Art Melbourne, Art Melbourne, Melbourne

2010
Journey on Every Line, The Dog and the Owl Gallery, Melbourne

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023
Summer New, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne

2022
Summer New, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne
Sydney Contemporary, Carriageworks, Sydney
‘Design Week’ James Makin Gallery, Melbourne

2021
Sydney Contemporary IRL, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne
Sydney Contemporary, Online
Lockdown, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne

2020
Temperature, International Ceramic Art Exchange Exhibition, Fuzhou, Jiangxi, China
Peace – Ceramic Art Dialogue, Marriot Hotel, Shenyang, China
Summer New, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne

2019
Summer New, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne

2018
New Orientalia – Functionality, Spirituality, Diversity, International Academy of Ceramics members exhibition, Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taiwan
Free Expression, International Academy of Ceramics members exhibition, Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taiwan
Launching Exhibition, Ladder Art Space, Melbourne
International Yaotou Kiln Ceramic Art Festival, Chen Cheng, Shanxi, China

2017
Hong Guang Zi Qi, International Ceramic Art Exhibition, Yixing, China

2016
Artisans in the Gardens, Sydney Botanical Gardens, Sydney
Kerry Lowe Gallery, Sydney

2015
Florence Biennale, Italy
New Zealand Ceramics Conference, New Zealand
Changchun International Ceramics Symposium Exhibition, Changchun, China

2014
Cheongju International Biennale
Contemporary Porcelain, Kerry Lowe Gallery, Sydney
International Ceramics Association Exhibition, Li Zi Yuan Ceramics Museum, Zibo, China

2013
What’s Under the Bed? Bradley Hall Gallery, Victoria
Macsabal Wanju Symposium, South Korea
Fired Up, Kalakriti Gallery, Hyderabad, India

2012
International Ceramics Association Group Exhibition, Red Earth Gallery, Vadodara, India
Resident Artists Exhibition, Seto Cultural Centre, Seto, Japan

2011
Travelling LIght, Bradley Hall Gallery, Victoria

2010
International Ceramics Association Group Exhibition, Qingdao, China
International Ceramics Association Group Exhibition, Zibo, China
Every other Colour, Bradley Hall Gallery, Victoria

2009
Residents Exhibition, Vallauris, France

Awards

AWARDS/RESIDENCIES/GRANTS

2022
Winner, North Queensland Ceramics Award, AUSTRALIA

2019
Artist residency, Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taiwan

2018
Martisons Ceramic Art Award (Latvia), shortlist

2017
Clunes Ceramic Art award, shortlist
Manningham Victorian Ceramic Art Award, shortlist

2016
North Queensland International Ceramic Award, shortlist

2015
Lorenzo il Magnifico Award for Ceramics, Florence Biennale, winner

2014
Cheongju International Biennale (South Korea), honourable mention
Gold Coast International Ceramics Art Award, shortlist

2013
Manningham Victorian Ceramic Award, shortlist

2012
Artist residency, Seto Cultural Centre AIR, Japan

2011
Shenzhen Cultural Fair (China), silver prize

2010
Shenzhen Cultural Fair (China), silver prize

2009
Artist residency, AIR Vallauris, France

1991-92
Artist residency, Meat Market Craft Gallery, Australia

ARTWORKS

Sally Walk A little off colour 2024 mid fire porcelain clay with black underglaze design and clear glaze 18 x 20 x 21 cm $1,700.00 ENQUIRE →
Sally Walk Grounded 2024 mid fire porcelain clay with black underglaze design and clear glaze 28 x 22 x 23 cm $1,900.00 ENQUIRE →
Sally Walk Circles 2024 mid fire porcelain clay with black underglaze design and clear glaze 20 x 24 x 23 cm $1,700.00 ENQUIRE →
Sally Walk Grand design 2024 mid fire porcelain clay with black underglaze design and clear glaze 21 x 27 x 25 cm $1,900.00 ENQUIRE →
Sally Walk Petite patterns 2024 mid fire porcelain clay with black underglaze design and clear glaze 18 x 18 x 19 cm $1,700.00 ENQUIRE →
Sally Walk Double the obsession 2024 mid fire porcelain clay with black underglaze design and clear glaze 23 x 30 x 23 cm $1,900.00 ENQUIRE →
Sally Walk Determination Scars 2023 porcelain clay, white raku clay, black clay, underglaze and clear glaze and gold crackle glaze 59 x 27 x 23 cm $3,200.00 ENQUIRE →
Sally Walk Apprehensive Step 2023 porcelain clay, white raku clay, black clay, underglaze and clear glaze 61 x 22 x 21 cm $3,500.00 ENQUIRE →
Sally Walk Fly With Me 2023 porcelain clay, white raku clay, black clay, underglaze and clear glaze 62 x 40 x 19 cm $3,500.00 ENQUIRE →
Sally Walk Asymmetrical Balance 1 2022 Mid Fired Ceramic with black slip and clear glaze 109 x 52 x 38 cm $8,500.00 ENQUIRE →
Sally Walk Asymmetrical Balance 2 2022 Mid Fired Ceramic with black slip and clear glaze 108 x 56 x 42 cm $8,500.00 ENQUIRE →
Sally Walk Pandemic 2020 Black mid-fire clay, clear glaze and gold lustre 45 x 22 x 22 cm $2,200.00 ENQUIRE →