Artist Spotlight: Sally Bunting
MEET SALLY BUNTING
Sally Bunting paints the way life feels-vibrant, dynamic, and full of movement. Her work is an ever-evolving visual journal, with each piece reflecting growth, aspiration, and connection. Inspired by nature's quiet beauty, fleeting moments of joy, and the rhythm of daily life, Sally's signature style is defined by bold palettes and an expressive, whimsical approach to form. Rooted in a love for storytelling, her paintings invite viewers to embrace both the spontaneity and stillness that coexist in ordinary moments.
Born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, Sally's creative instincts took shape early. She went on to study International Business and Arts Management at the College of Charleston, with additional focuses in Studio Art and International Studies. These diverse influences-culture, commerce, and creativity-continue to shape her work today.
Beyond the studio, Sally is a mother to three young boys and a passionate advocate for the special abilities community. After her eldest son's prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, she fought for legislative change, leading to the passage of James' Law (SB4597) in South Carolina. This law ensures that individuals with disabilities cannot be denied life-saving organ transplants. Through her art and advocacy, Sally continues to create spaces-both on canvas and in the world-where color tells a story, inclusion is celebrated, and life's beautiful complexities shine.
Collection statement; 'I wanted to see my drawings fly. These butterflies started as a simple idea, then moved beyond the canvas into new surfaces and forms. They became studies in movement and individuality, built through color, pattern, and shape, where no two are the same and they are not meant to be. Each one carries traces of where it has been while still becoming something new. Winged Relics speaks to that tension between motion and stillness. Something once fleeting is now held in place, preserving a moment of transformation without ever fully losing its sense of flight."
Q&A WITH SALLY BUNTING
MG: What sparked this new body of work, and how did it begin taking shape in your studio?
SB: I wanted to see my drawings fly. That was really the starting point. I had been working on canvas for a while, and I kept feeling pulled to take things a step further, to let the forms exist off the surface instead of being contained by it. The butterflies became a natural place to explore that. They already hold so much symbolism around movement and change, but I was more interested in how they could shift physically, how they could become objects, not just images. Once I started cutting them out and building them in layers, the whole direction of the work opened up.
MG: Your work often feels both intuitive and intentional. What does a typical day in the studio look like while creating this collection?
SB: It’s a balance of both, and I’ve learned to trust that rhythm. I usually start pretty intuitively, laying down color, building patterns, and letting things feel a little off or unexpected. That’s where the energy comes from. Then I step back and start making more intentional decisions, adjusting shapes, refining edges, and thinking about how the piece holds together as a whole. With the cutouts especially, there’s a physical process of shaping and assembling that slows everything down in a really good way. It becomes less about rushing to finish and more about responding to what the piece needs.
MG: Was there a moment during this collection where a piece surprised you or shifted the direction of the work?
SB: Yes, definitely. The first time I completed one of the cutout butterflies and held it in my hands, it felt like a shift. It no longer felt like a painting. It felt like an object with presence. That moment made me realize the work wasn’t just about imagery anymore. It was about how these forms could exist in space and how they could feel collected or held onto. From there, I leaned more into that idea and let it guide the rest of the collection.
MG: Color, texture, and movement play such an important role in your work. How did you think about those elements for this release?
SB: I wanted the color and pattern to feel layered and a little unpredictable, like each piece had its own history. I wasn’t trying to match or control everything. I was more interested in how different colors and textures could sit together and create movement across the surface. The patterns almost act like fragments, pieces of something larger that have been brought together. That layering helps reinforce the idea of becoming and holding onto different parts of a story within one form.
MG: Many collectors are thinking about how artwork lives in their home. Where do you imagine these pieces living, and what kind of feeling do you hope they bring to a space?
SB: I imagine these pieces living in spaces where they can grow with someone over time. They can feel just as at home in a nursery as they would in a more established art collection later on. I love the idea of a piece starting in one chapter of life and staying with someone as things evolve around it. Whether they are grouped together or standing on their own, I hope they bring a sense of movement and lightness, but also something lasting that people can keep returning to.
MG: Is there a particular piece in the collection that feels especially meaningful to you? Why?
SB: Flutter Symposium #20 feels especially meaningful to me. It holds the energy of the entire collection in one place. Where the individual butterflies feel more like singular moments, that piece feels like a gathering, a reflection of movement happening all at once. It helped me see the connection between each work more clearly and understand the collection as a whole.
MG: Your practice has evolved over time. How does this collection reflect where you are right now as an artist?
SB: This collection feels like a step toward more dimensional thinking for me. I’m less interested in keeping things contained and more interested in how the work can move beyond the surface, both physically and conceptually. It also feels more confident. I’m more comfortable letting things be imperfect or slightly unexpected and trusting that those moments are what make the work feel alive.
MG: What do you hope someone feels when they live with one of your works over time?
SB: I hope it’s something that continues to unfold. At first, maybe it’s the color or the shape that draws them in. Over time, I hope they start to notice the layers, the small shifts, and the details that weren’t obvious at first. More than anything, I hope it feels like something they can return to, something that holds a sense of movement and change, but also a kind of steadiness.
To explore all of Sally's work, you can view her collection here. Please contact info@themillergallery.com with any questions!