About Sally Bennett

Born Memphis Tennessee

1985-1989 attended Md Institute College of Art
1988 – Studied at Lacoste School of the Arts, Lacoste France with full merit scholarship
1989 – Graduated with BFA as a painting major
1989-1992 – worked as a designer for Mimi Russell inc. designed screen printed fabrics and interiors
1992 – started Sally Bennett Designs specializing in decorative painting, product design and nightclub design, clients include Polo Ralph Lauren, The Whitney Museum Store, Tory Burch, Coach Stores, Warner Bros. among others
1990 – Designed and opened Drinkland NYC
1999 – Designed office interiors for advertising agency/ movie production co.
1999 – Designed Centro Fly NYC
2006 – Designed Spyglass Westport Ct
2007 – Designed Le Royale NYC
2006 – Returned to the studio to concentrate on painting full time
2007 – Solo show at ROOM New York City
2007 – Group show Monte Stabler Gallery Birmingham AL
2008 – Solo show Amanda Schedler Fine Arts, Birmingham Alabama
2008 – Group Show Rowyaton CT
2008 – Group Show Pequot Library, Southport CT
2009 – Solo show Arcadia Cafe with Coleman Schedler Fine Art Greenwich CT
2009 – Solo show Joe’s The Art of Coffee with Michel Allen Gallery
Chelsea NYC
2009 – Group Show “Breathing Spaces” with Michel Allen Gallery Memphis TN

Design and decoration have remained a constant force in my work. I have been influenced by the decorative aspect of many artistic cultures; whether it is a Japanese kimono, a depression-era textile, Ancient Indian motifs or European decorative arts, all serve the same purpose of pleasing the eye and satisfying the soul.

I am drawn to serenity and balance in nature and in art. It is a fundamentally optimistic outlook. My paintings are an escape from chaos, darkness, ugliness, and disjunctive forces in the world. Yet the other side is important as well: the process of stripping away chaos informs the works. Some paintings evoke nostalgia; this is the residue of longing for an earlier state of grace. I have experimented recently with collage elements, using old print media that read like scrap books of a lost American innocence.

“Sally Bennett uses the instruments of color and texture to compose symphonies on canvas. Her paintings have a rhythmic quality based on the motifs of abstracted often botanical forms, and, like the melody of a beautiful piece of music, the images advance and recede in a harmonious interplay of color, light, and form that intrigues and pleases the eye. She says that it is the “mystery of color” that drives her to paint; indeed, it is the juxtaposition of one color to another that gives each pattern its voice in the structure of her paintings – the colors do not sing alone, but rather act as a choir, playing off one another’s rigorously calibrated tone to produce a single, harmonious note. She uses tinted plaster and bold colors to build tension that is relieved by her keen eye for balance and powerful composition.

Originally trained as a painter at the Maryland Institute College of Art and the Lacoste School of the Arts in Lacoste, France, Bennett spent many years honing her sense for color and balance in the field of interior design. Since she returned to her studio full time in 2007, that experience has informed her development and growth as a fine artist and attracted a committed following among designers and collectors across the country.” – Brooke Coleman

Sally’s work can be seen in New York City at:

ROOM 182 Duane Street New York, NY 1-888-420ROOM www.roomonline.com

Or Please feel free to contact Sally at (843) 284-8822