Art by Nature
for Nature
Unique pieces of art created within one-off cuts of wood; slices of Earth's history rich in connection, stories and love.
Created in Jersey by visionary artist, nature lover and conservationist Sally Weekes.
Art that heals, inspires, and protects our planet
“As modern day humans, we forget how much we owe to our beautiful planet. Almost everything we have comes from trees and the sea, from the oxygen we breathe to the furniture we use daily, the boats we sail in, the doors we open, the instruments we play, and even the wooden handle on the paintbrush I’m using to create my latest piece of art.”
As a young child with dyslexia and hearing problems, my other senses were heightened. I spent a lot of time watching the light move through the trees, marvelling as it shone through onto furniture, walls and carpet, projecting new patterns across different textured surfaces.
I became mesmerised by the pattern in wood grain, learning a lot about different woods and the characteristics that grow in them while watching my father make furniture in his workshop in Dartford, Kent. The smell of freshly sawn cedar and pine still linger in my memory; the concentration and careful hand in how he worked, especially with Yew wood, still firmly engrained in my mind.
Nature is the ultimate artist
Every day she inspires me, teaches me and helps me to better understand myself as I work in pure alignment with the grain.
I visualise myself running and jumping in the grooves, grain, knots and fibres of the wood itself. I create my own reality as the lines move in gentle waves, opening up portals of possibility. The dark, the light, the heart wood, the sap wood and everything in between becomes my own micro world where I can escape and be free, living within the fine lines of nature.
There’s something so comforting and truthful about that; a closer connection to the natural world than most of us humans live today. But I’m positive that there’s always a way forward. New opportunities to be explored that might bring a sense of peace and deeper connection to Earth.
Wood as a blank canvas
I find it ironic that valuable pieces of artwork are transported in and protected by ‘handle with care’ plywood boxes, when wood itself is the very thing that inspires me and fuels my passion. What to one person is simply a useful material for packaging is a blank canvas of opportunity to another.
The intricate patterns in wood enliven me; the intrinsic energy from its hundred years of growth in a forest somewhere in the world is channelled through me and my tools as I transmute it into a piece of artwork to adorn the walls of someone’s home.
Creating art in harmony with nature is my gift to the world
It’s why each piece of art is so different, infused with natural elements and pigments including seawater, inks and charcoal sourced from local beaches and felled trees. Some of my techniques have been developed over many years, intuitively finding an equilibrium between the medium and the wood grain so they work in perfect harmony.
Each piece can start as one thing and later evolve into something else entirely. It’s important to remember not to force, but to quietly and patiently work with what is there. Living in greater harmony with nature is always the bigger picture and message woven within my work.
Trees must have observed so many conversations and human stories. Do you ever wonder what they might say?
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Contact Sally
For all enquiries regarding commissions, collaborations or other projects, please email Sally at connect@sallyweekesartist.com or complete the form below. Thank you.
