Sally White is the dynamo behind most of Leighton Buzzard Art Society’s activities! She works to organise our events, workshops and communications. She has lived in Heath and Reach for many years and she chatted to us recently about her own art…
How long have you been making art? How did you get into it?
About 8 years. I got into it by accident. I was out one evening with my husband, his friend John from drama group and his wife Jo. I did not really know Jo, but we chatted and she told me she ran art classes in Heath and Reach, but that she didn’t have enough students. I was quite merry by this point in the evening and announced that I would go to her life class on a Wednesday night. I think we both thought I would last a couple of weeks max. But that evening I fell in love with drawing. I couldn’t stop. A few months later I was googling, and came across a residential weekend portrait course in oils. I booked it and I was then hooked, both on oils and faces.
What media do you work in?
Mainly oils, but I draw in pencil and pen and try and use different media often. I also like lino printing and have bouts of playing with print. I love oils because it allows you to move thick paint around, and change it. I also like the range of subtlety you can achieve with glazes.
Which subjects interest you?
People and things, so portraits and figures work. But I also love still life.
Which artists do you admire?
Joachim Sorolla and Maggie Siner
Please tell us a bit about your work process – how do you approach a new artwork? How long does a piece usually take?
I vary in my approach. I prefer to work from life for portraits and figures. But for still life I will sometimes grid up in order to get proportions and sizing correct, I do this with weak diluted paint, it is a loose drawing. Once the shapes are right I look directly at the set up. Sometimes, I work directly from life for the still life, but I like to get the proportions correct and sometimes gridding is a great help with that. Once I am looking at the subject I do allow myself to change the shapes if it will give a better look or helps the composition.
Once shape is right, I block in, making the darks dark. Then I work around the painting, daring to go as dark as possible in dark areas. I don’t touch highlights till the last minute. I try and pump up the colour in the key focus areas.
Do you have a top tip to share?
Handy hint for oil painters – use Zest It instead of white spirit. And glaze, glaze glaze 😁
Where do you usually work? Do you listen to music while you’re working?
I have a wonderful studio in my attic, created just before Lockdown which was a Godsend! I listen to audio books while I paint.
Why did you join Leighton Buzzard Art Society?
I wanted to attend a demo on oil painting. It was several years ago now and Sonia Bacchus was demonstrating. I was blown away by the production of a painting in front of me and signed up for more demonstrations. Sonia has since become a good friend, although she has moved back to Poland.
What are you working on at the moment?
I always have several projects on the go. I am creating a range of small still life’s for Mentmore exhibition in May next year. I also have a group of colourful birds heads, this is unusual for me, but I am really enjoying the bright colours and trying to achieve the feathers and sense of life, alertness in them.
Do you have a favourite paint colour?
Red oxide by Rembrandt paints. I use this all the time, it is on my Christmas list every year, along with 3 packs of tiny brushes as I seem to crucify them.
What is your next learning goal? Is there something new you’re trying to master?
I just want to get better – specifically I want to use more colour, trying to find less expected colours in skin tone etc. I love learning anything, that’s one of my problems, I want to try everything! So everything.
What’s your proudest achievement?
Well my children and grandchildren! But I think being involved in LBAS, raising its profile, increasing its activity and of course helping to put on a great exhibition each year.
If the National Gallery was on fire and you could save just one painting there, which one would it be?
Adoration of the Kings by Jan Gossaert. I love this painting, it was made in 1515, yet is so real, there is so much going on in it. There are beautiful touches in it like the copy of Durer’s dog, it is a complex painting, beautifully rendered.
You can see more of Sally’s work on Instagram@drawn4fun or on Facebook at Drawn4Fun and at https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SallyWhiteArt and https://portfolio.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/SallyWhite
