The Art of Sallie Portnoy
Canadian-born Sallie Portnoy has worked in glass and ceramics for more than 20 years. She works and teaches at her studio and school in Australia, and has taught many workshops around and outside of that country, including at The Glass Furnace in Turkey in 2002, at Urban Glass and the Corning Museum of Glass in New York in 2004, and at the University of Manitoba in Canada in 2004. Portnoy exhibits nationally in Australia and internationally and has won numerous commissions for public art.
Much of Portnoy’s imagery is based in mythology and inspired by mystical stories and abstract thought. The figure in her glass pieces has been used as a universal symbol of the vessel, the soul, and is a symbiosis of the female form and the artistic investigation of positive and negative space. Where once Portnoy was predominantly a vessel maker, her work (both glass and ceramic) since 1995 has become sculptural, narrative and abstracted. The figures speak with light, movement and simple sensuality. They are about female empowerment and empowerment of humankind at large.
Like the Sword in the Stone, the sword-like figures are plunged into their bases – grounded and earthbound, while their elegant forms reach up to the heavens – to a higher ground. The pieces are at once both male and female; at ‘base’ extremely sexual and reflective of the basic nature of mankind. Pulling the sword out of the stone, in terms of sexual symbolism, can be interpreted as freeing the male conscious ego (the phallus) from the state of being mother bound. The figures speak of the conflict between opposing forces within us, between archaic impulses and new aspirations.
As much as Portnoy’s work is narrative and a study of form, it is also very much an exploration of light. The glass plays with the light as it changes from thick to thin, as it absorbs and reflects the light, and as different colours mix when they are melted together.
Portnoy gives the glass body language and uses forms to reflect this, which is why most pieces can stand alone or in communication with one another. Through her use of material, form, light and colour, Portnoy continues to tap into the universal language that binds us all.
Cast glass sculptures by Sallie Portnoy
At home on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, I indulge in the ‘goings on’ of big city life and appreciate the luxury of living on the Manly Lagoon nature reserve with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. Keeping close to nature and spending plenty of time outdoors is paramount to my sanity. I frequently travel to North America for time with family and friends and to more exotic destinations whenever possible. Adding travel for exhibitions and glass art projects keeps me on the move.
Cast glass sculpture, both kiln fired and hot cast from the furnace, is my specialty. I also work in clay, bronze, cement and polystyrene when the project suits. Community and school projects with children, weekend workshops and summer school teaching are welcomed distractions to my solo studio practice.
Inspiration is a mystery to me. What I create surprises and excites me and offers a window into deep experiences of consciousness. My creative output filters through my fascination with human nature, the physical form, psychology, mysticism and the enigmas of ritual.
Sallie Portnoy
ON PUBLIC ART
I create public artworks in mosaic, large cast sculptures and sometimes other materials such as bronze, cement and polyurethane. My commissions include wall murals, seats, benches, inlaid sidewalks and playground climbing shapes.
The mosaics are usually made from individually hand cut glass tiles. Some of my public work is community oriented, involving children and adults alike. These projects often involve ceramics and found objects as well as glass. Site specific architectural art in homes, offices or hospitality venues utilizing this style of mosaic is customized to create walls, floors, windows, doors, pools and patios, and seating. Individually designed table tops and large bench tops are also available in fused glass.
Sallie Portnoy
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