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Sally Mankus is a mixed media artist who was born in Augusta, Georgia. She moved often while growing up, living in various parts of the U.S. and in two foreign countries. She now lives and works in Shalima, Florida.
Sally works with a variety of mediums ranging from digital, sculpture, installations and mixed media. What makes her work so exciting is the innovative and unconventional techniques she has mastered. These include lifting rust, carbon and markings from charred surfaces which she then embeds into an acrylic ‘skin’. These ‘skins’ are translucent and flexible and she sometimes adds photography (in the form of pigmented inkjet print and Xerox transfers), paint, and found objects further enhance the piece and give it more detail.
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Mankus writes about the meaning behind her work:
“My work explores layered and diverse meanings incorporated in everyday, overlooked objects one would find in the home. The work has moved into the realm of installation incorporating numerous domestic items, primarily items used in the ritual of preparing and serving food. Objects (pans, pot lids, napkins, etc.) and materials (rust, carbon) used are so common they become symbols in a universal language.”
Mankus agreed to answer some of our questions on her ideas and work practices:
Quda - Where do you get inspiration and ideas from when creating your work?
Mankus - Ideas evolved from much thought, observation, research, collecting of materials, experimentation, and intuitive choices…one thing lead to another…the ideas come.
Q - Are you working on any new projects/pieces at the moment?
Mankus - Always new pieces… I continue to work in previous directions…mainly. However, some new pieces will include a commission piece and some new photo manipulation pieces that include a lot of stitching, layering, merging of images. Photo manipulations will most likely be included in some mixed media work. A piece that I have been planning for a long time involves mixed media wall sculpture…not sure how it is going to come out… No details until they are done.
Q –Some of your work involves lifting charred surfaces off bakeware, how did you develop your methods of working?
Mankus - This particular method evolved from experimenting and an “accident”…the best part sometimes…and then more experimentation and research. Working is the important part…things will happen if you think, experiment, research and stay open to what happens. This work as well as other work continues to evolve over time…it always stays interesting and challenging…ever changing….I am never bored.
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If you want more information on Sally’s work, visit her website: www.sallymankus.com
Header Image - "Untitled" (circles of rust), 1995, mixed media - rust, carbon, image transfer, acrylic, 12 1/2" x 8 1/2"
