Meet Sally Bunting, A Southern Artist

Friends, I’m so excited for y’all to meet this amazing lady! Sally reached out a few months ago to introduce herself and I’m SO glad she did. Her art is stunning – full of whimsy, color, and passion, but I think it’s her sweet Southern personality and positive outlook on life that originally won me over! Y’all be sure to give her a big warm Somethin’ Southern welcome! Thanks so much for joining us, Sally! xo

Tell us a bit about you – where you find inspiration, how you fill your days, and how you got your start as an artist.

I was born and raised in Greenville, SC and in 2008 I made the journey down to Charleston, SC to study at College of Charleston. I fell deeply in love in love with everything Charleston has to offer and I’m excited to now call it my forever home. As a proud South Carolina native, I’m constantly inspired by my every day surroundings across the state. My frequent travels play a huge part in my art inspiration as well. There’s never an excursion too near or too far that doesn’t reveal a new quality of myself. As I am an artist, I tend to be more of a deeper thinker and “feeler”. I enjoy being able to incorporate a lot of my emotions into my work. Whether that be from a moving experience of traveling, meeting someone new, or simply listening to a new variety of music–everything is inspiring to me in some way shape or form and I believe has a great story to be told.

Recently, I’ve been spending my days organizing, decorating, and making my first house “a home”, as well as planning my dream wedding with my fiancé! It has been such a wonderful bonding experience doing home improvement projects with him and getting to learn and see firsthand about some of his passions—which include building houses and woodworking. We are able to bounce a lot of creative ideas off of each other, which helps boost a lot of fuel and momentum for our own individual, creative projects! When I’m not busy with house stuff, I love to catch a good movie or sink into a good book. My dogs, Wilson and George, help keep me pretty active too.

Since I was a little girl, I have always considered myself an artist. It actually has always been my dream career, but one that as I got older I placed on the backburner. It wasn’t until last year that I finally threw out all of the self-doubts and I took a leap of faith into the art world. It’s unlike anything I could’ve ever imagined. Doing something that you truly enjoy and are passionate about is by far the most exhilarating, challenging and moving experience. To God be the glory!

What’s your favorite thing about doing life in the south?

The fact that we, as Southerners live life just a little bit slower, which in the South, makes life a little bit sweeter. We are always appreciating every moment, and never take the little things for granted. And how could I even forget—the beautiful weather! Being close to both the mountains and the beach. The hospitality. The culture and history that derives from each city/town/state. Southernisms. The many delicious foods, and of course…SWEET TEA!

Any tips for new artists?

1. Always stay true to yourself. Stop comparing yourself to other artists and always enjoy the process of creating your own unique works. Keep your faith and prayers strong and God will not lead you astray.

1. Never stop learning. Step out of your comfort zone and explore new subject matters, materials, etc. Surrounding yourself with other creative individuals or sources is always a fun way to bounce around new and fun ideas.

1. Don’t let failure define you—always stay confident. Everyone is going to mess up in life, and there will be times when you feel like you’re going nowhere fast. Use those “mess ups” as stepping stones and keep on the path you know you’re meant to be on.

1. Put yourself out there! Embrace the ever changing and fast paced social media networking capabilities! I can’t emphasize this one enough! We live in a world of technology which makes it that much easier for growing your dream of becoming an artist. Take advantage of the tools that are around you.

NEVER GIVE UP! Building a career as an artist is not an overnight success. Developing your own individual style, finding a market, and making sales…they all take time. Soak in every inch of the process and keep doing you.

Your, “Where The Wild Things Are” collection is amazing! Where did the idea for these pieces come from?

Thank you! Animals are a huge inspiration for me and truly bring out the most curious aspects of my personality. When I first started getting requests for dog portrait commissions, I really started loving the process of examining the dog and all of its beautiful and unique features. I loved hearing from my customers that the painting brought out every depth of their pet’s personality. The more I heard that, the more I thought of how cool it would be to bring out different animal species personalities. In my true artistic form, I used a boundless amount of color and detail to help bring each animal to life in the collection. I wanted onlookers to see the animal and be able to imagine what he/she might be thinking or maybe what they love to do in their free time. I made a point to study up on each animal that I decided to feature, because who doesn’t love learning?! It was fun to see what kind of fun and sometimes surprising facts I found.

What’s your absolute favorite restaurant in Charleston?

Oh man! This is always a tough question for someone who lives in a delicious food city! I’m going to break it down by some of my top to-go meals.

Brunch: The Shelter for their build your own bloody mary bar and their Brunch Bog. The Sunday Gospel Brunch at Hall’s Chophouse for the experience, their tasty bellini’s, and my favorite French toast offering.

Seafood: Coast Bar & Grill and Leon’s Oyster Shop are the best spots in town for all the best seafood options, hands down!

Southern: I’m a huge fan of Page’s Okra Grill and Hannibal’s Kitchen for my craving of all the best southern vegetables.

How can Somethin’ Southern readers follow along with you?

Instagram: @sally_b_art

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sallybuntingart

Blog: https://sallybuntingart.wordpress.com/

Website: www.sallybunting.com

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cobpCv