Sally Veach’s art is a powerful exploration of the beauty and omnipotence of nature. Currently featured in the duo exhibition Here and Where? at the D.C. Arts Center alongside artist Jeffrey Berg, Sally’s work stands in stark contrast to Berg’s introspective drawings. Curated to merge their unique perspectives, the exhibition offers a dialogue between the internal and external environments of the human experience.
Sally’s contributions to Here and Where? are deeply rooted in her connection to the natural world. Sally’s work looks outward, depicting the restorative and sublime power of nature alongside humanity’s attempts to control it. “I want people to walk away from my work realizing that humans are not the center of life on earth,” Sally shares. Through her gestural landscapes and hard-edged symbols, she highlights the beauty and danger of the natural world, urging viewers to expand their inner world and release their egocentrism.
With 13 pieces in the exhibition—nine drawings and four paintings—Sally’s art reflects her ongoing dialogue with nature. “My paintings are always inspired by being out in nature, by the colors of the earth, sky, and the atmospheric landscape,” she explains.
Although she earned a BFA from Syracuse University in 1984, her current journey as a painter began eight years ago, with the Shenandoah Mountains and West Virginia landscapes serving as early muses. These natural elements continue to inform her work, where the spontaneity of gesture and the balance of thoughtfulness come together. Through her recent incision of chintz textile patterns, she expresses the tension between human control and the organic state of nature.
Participating in a duo show has reaffirmed Sally’s vision rather than altering it. For her, this exhibition serves as a reminder of who she is as an artist: someone who wants humanity to take a step back and acknowledge the natural world’s supremacy. The process of developing her body of work is both challenging and rewarding, balancing spontaneity with a thoughtful execution. Above all, it’s given her the platform to express her ideals and communicate her perspective on the world around us.
As she looks to the future, Sally is inspired to create more drawings, finding that they allow her greater freedom in gesture and composition compared to painting. This plan to shift toward drawing reflects her evolving approach to capturing the raw essence of nature.
You can experience Sally’s work in person at the DC Arts Center during the Here and Where? exhibition, with a closing reception on October 6.
Be sure to stop by Studio 342 at the Torpedo Factory Art Center to see Sally’s art in progress and get a glimpse of the creative process behind her powerful, nature-inspired pieces!