Sally Morgan

The Artist

Sally Morgan was born in 1951 in Perth, Western Australia. Encouraged by her family, she drew voraciously as a child. However, her high school art teachers did not understand her art and criticized her bright, unconventional style. Discouraged, Sally abandoned her art. Years later, at a crucial time of personal discovery, she encountered and was inspired by an uncle - a highly respected artist working on the edge of the desert. Ashamed that she had so easily given up her artistic ambitions in high school, Sally turned to her art again and felt her old passion and confidence return. In 1987, Sally achieved enormous success as a writer as well as an artist with the publication of her first book, 'My Place', which told the moving story of her discovery of her Aboriginal ancestry. 'My Place' went on to become both an Australian and international success, selling over 400,000 copies. Since then, she has written a number of books as well as a successful play, 'Sister Girl'.

Style of Work

Sally Morgan is one of Australia's most dynamic Aboriginal artists. Sally draws on this heritage to express her feelings for the land and its life forms, and her experiences as an Aboriginal woman. Her work is imbued with the spirituality of her culture, its ways of representing the world and its traditional concern with narrative with telling the story. In the years since 1986, Sally has developed her use of dazzling colour and her personal iconography to achieve a distinctive voice in Australian art. Her work is bold, vibrant and provocative.

Under Fire
This painting by Sally Morgan is called Under Fire. It was painted in 1989. This artwork is a screen print. There are many copies of this print. The subject of this artwork is the end of the world, the world is surrounded by flame and it is the end the world is going under. The elements that have been used in this artwork are line, shape, colour and balance. Sally produced this picture using a coloured printscreen she made multiple copies of this artwork. I think that the message of this artwork is that life is short you never know when it is going to end. This artwork makes me feel like going out and doing something good and worthwhile. I think that the simplicity of this artwork is its greatest factor it is simple and yet it is eye catching, bright, and it really tells a story. I think that the world should be bigger, the world is the biggest part of the whole human race is should be the biggest part of the artwork. I love the way that Sally Morgan have produced something so amazing and full of meaning while keeping it so simple.

Under Fire (AAPN id ARC028SM)

by Sally Morgan Medium: Screen print Edition Size: 95 Image size: 250 mm x 290 mm Paper size: 380 mm x 420 mm