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Growing up in North Louisiana in the 70’s and 80’s, Sallie Knox (southern double first name) doodled, drew, and painted “ever since she can remember” under the guidance of wonderful teachers and artistic influences. In 1994, she graduated from TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, with a degree in art education and painting. After a fruitless quest for a public-school teaching gig in Austin, her husband Ben’s hometown, she abandoned art for a time to pursue a colorful retail career where she honed some important business skills. In 2001, Ben’s work moved the couple to the New Orleans area. They happily immersed themselves in local culture, surrounded by art and music, and started a family. Ever practical and inspired by her grandmother’s long career as a public health nurse, Sallie Knox enrolled in nursing school.

Life as they had come to know it came to a screeching halt in 2009, when at 37, Sallie Knox received a cancer diagnosis. After surgeries and treatment, attending school and juggling toddlers became untenable so she reluctantly left the nursing program. As she re-evaluated her purpose, she discovered the method of intuitive painting, which soothed her anxiety and aided the healing process. A well of newfound creative inspiration opened up within her and she began to see its unlimited potential. Soon friends began to commission her for paintings. As fate would have it, a piece in a home featured in the New Orleans Times Picayune newspaper was the catalyst for the next chapter. As an abundance of work came her way, Sallie Knox decided to make a go of it. With unending support of Ben, she has spent the last ten years painting quirky, folk-y depictions of people and their pets, interests, and hobbies in vibrant acrylic colors.

In 2015, Sallie Knox and her family relocated to Manitou Springs. Her southern collector base and new Colorado clients keep her busy with acrylic family paintings. However, she recently rediscovered oil painting, which she compliments with cold wax and oil crayon. Working with these media, and using various tools to draw into the surface, has led her into new artistic territory. Recent “research” for ideas on a personal tattoo has influenced the lines, shapes, and imagery found in her latest pieces. Flowers, leaves, and botanical shapes show up as emblems of life, gratitude, womanhood, and deep love. She uses a process-driven approach, enjoying the adventure of wandering across the surface and following the brush into positive and negative spaces. Her collectors often comment that her vivid colors and enchanting imagery bring them joy and hope in these trying times. Sallie Knox knows that creativity is a profoundly endless resource. She hopes to be eternally delighted by both its process and outcome.