Sallie Gardner
Tulsa, OK
b. 1954
I love to tell stories, whether in my art, in my career, or in competitive storytelling. In 2012, joined the Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges to exercise. I started taking art classes there, primarily in making voodoo love dolls and collage. Other than those classes, I taught myself how to make art.
In 2016, I started making permanent wreaths. They are 17” wooden bases covered with glued-on costume jewelry, then I moved to making collage necklaces. With both types of art, I used sentimental objects that friends gave me, for example, their mother’s old costume jewelry that they didn’t wear but didn’t want to throw away. I’m fortunate to have a wide network of women friends and artists who give me their old treasures.
In 2022, I found a pile of old dolls with china heads in a thrift store. They inspired a series of sculptures. I constantly collect quirky objects such as the dolls to make them into sculptures and assemblages.
I am more creative and productive when I’m limited by the objects I choose for my art. I need objects that inspire a story that I can transform into art. I’m a sucker for a humorous title. Sometimes I make up a good title, then create the artwork to fit it. I’m a wordsmith. I earned a BA in Journalism from the University of South Carolina and spent my career in journalism. My favorite job was newspaper reporting.
My vision for my art is to make more creative and engaging pieces for my own pleasure and also for others to enjoy.
