Hi! I’m Sally, the Sal behind Shapes by Sal!

I’m a self-taught printmaker, discovering the art form 6 years ago and I live in the beautiful Lake Hāwea. I have a bachelor's degree in Sustainability and Outdoor Education and I worked in the environmental/conservation sector for 5 years. My art and my passion for the outdoors are so intertwined that without one, I couldn’t do the other.  

I have a huge appreciation for the great outdoors and enjoy many outdoor pursuits. The natural environment underpins the majority of my work and it’s through my own experiences with the outdoors that my artwork is shaped. My work is as much about inspiring others to protect, explore and appreciate the natural world, as it is my own artistic expression.

I had a baby in 2025 so my process is at a much slower pace now, finding the time when I can!

Person sitting on rocks drawing or sketching in a mountainous landscape with glaciers, lakes, and snow-capped peaks.
Two people sitting on rocks near tents in a grassy, mountainous landscape with rocky slopes and a partly cloudy sky.
Woman standing outdoors near a lake and mountains, holding a colorful linocut print of the landscape she is in, with snow-capped mountains, water, and a trail with people and orange markers.
A person sitting on a rocky surface, holding a sketchbook with a landscape drawing of mountains and a blue lake.
A woman sitting on a mountain trail with mountains in the background, wearing a blue jacket, yellow headband, and sketching in a notebook.
A person holding a carved lino block depicting a hut with smoke coming from a chimney in a forested scene. The background shows other carvings and carving tools, including a chisel with a wooden handle.
A person with multiple earrings and rings on their fingers is carving a detailed design onto lino.
A woman engraving a detailed design onto a piece of paper using a small engraving tool, surrounded by stamps, tools, and crafting supplies on a wooden work table.
Hand holding a colorful sketch of mountain scenery in front of a real mountain landscape with snow-capped peaks and cloudy sky.
A young person wearing a blue and white cap is sitting on a grassy hillside, holding a colorful map. In the background, there is a small hut near a calm lake, with rolling hills and rocky terrain around.
A hand holding an open sketchbook with a colorful drawing of a hillside landscape with water and boats, in front of a real landscape with a lake, rolling hills, and a clear blue sky.

Publications

2021 - Felt Meet the Maker

2021 - 1964 Magazine Cover Art

2022 - Aid Through Art, Otago Daily Times article

2023 - Short Film by Anneke de Bruin and Myles Laurion

2023 - Shepherdess Magazine promotion

2025 - Otago Daily Times article


Exhibitions

2020 - Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Art Exhibition, Christchurch

2021 - Labour Weekend Exhibition, Wānaka

  • Highly Commended Award

2022 - Out of the Blue, Wānaka

2022 - Aid Through Art, Wānaka 

  • One of the event organisers

2022 - Labour Weekend Exhibition, Wānaka

  • Demo for Printmakers Group

2023 - Craigs Aspiring Art Prize, Wānaka

2023 - Castle Hill Easter Art Weekend, Canterbury

  • People’s Choice Runner-up