Sally Whelan (b1985 West Midlands) is a working-class visual artist who works with the human body and the wild, profound and emotionally eruptive stories it can tell.
A passionate advocate for the delightfully grubby connective tissues of the human experience, how they play out across the stage of our skin and how this affects our relationship to self and others, exploring themes of grief longing and limerence.
She has been a practicing artist for nearly 20 years, honing her skills and creating prolifically in large scale oil paintings, and smaller works in ink, blood and watercolour.
Sally currently lives in South West England.
Artist/Painter – Freelance
(2010 – Present)
Art Fabricator & Set Painter
(2018 – 2023) ‘Sex Education’ S 1-4 – Netflix
‘Phillip Pullmans Dark Materials’ S 1 & 2 – BBC, HBO
Wig Maker – Freelance
(Sept 2017 – Present)
Wig Maker & Colour Technician – Campbell Young associates, Bristol
(May 2015 – Aug 2017) (May 2023 – Sept 2025)
Hair & Make-up Artist – BBC, SKY TV, SKY ATLANTIC, BAD WOLF, CH 4
(2012 - 2015)
2026 ‘Every kind of tenderness & desire’ - Upcoming solo show – Shrewsbury, Uk
2023 ‘September Poems’ - Cover art for poetry book - Patrick Bartmess & Martin Parker
2021 ‘A Thousand Flowers’ – Artwork for Online poetry book – Heartcraft Creative - Australia
2021 ‘Women Exposed’ – Group Show – Nadia Nervo Projects – London
2020 BAFTA Cymru WINNER as part of the Production Design team – ‘Dark Materials’ -
Seasons 1 & 2
2020 Netflix & Eleven Film – Commission - 'Sex Education' – Season 1, 2, 3, 4
2020 BAFTA Nominated as part of the Production Design team – ‘Sex Education’ -
Seasons 1 & 2
2020 ‘Fake News’ – Group Show – Offshoot Gallery – London
2019-20 ‘Elevate 02’ – Group Show – The Shard - London
2019 ‘Counter/Balance’ – Group Show – Trinity Art Gallery – London
2019 BBC & Hbo - Commission - Phillip Pullman’s 'Dark Materials' - Season 2
2019 Selected as an Artcan.org artist – London
2019 ‘The Gender Divine’ feature Volup 2 Magazine Blog
2019 ‘The Gender Divine’ feature Brenda Magazine Blog
2019 5 week funded artist residency 550 Gallery, Connecticut USA
2019 ‘The Gender Divine’ an ongoing self-realised painting project immortalising the power of the human condition
2018 Interviewed & Work featured - Brenda Magazine; Issue 3 Red
2018 'Ive Fallen So Far, For The People You Are' - Solo Show – Bristol
2018 ‘Ive Fallen So Far, For The People You Are’ – Solo Show – The Silk Mill Gallery – Somerset
2018 Somerset Art Weeks Open Studios - Frome, Somerset
2018 Clifton Arts Club Open Exhibition - Group Show - Bristol
2018 '6x6' - Group Show - Why Gallery - Frome, Somerset
2018 'Sisters Dem Good' - Group Show - Bristol
2018 'Incognito' - Group Show - ART 23 - London
2018 'Fe/Male' - Group Show - AIR Gallery – Manchester
2018 BBC & Hbo – Commission - Phillip Pullman’s 'Dark Materials' - Season 1
2018 Netflix & Eleven Film – Commission - 'Sex Education' – Season 1,2,3,4
2017 'La Galleria Summer Exhibition' - Group Show - La Galleria - London
2016 'These Little Walls' - Solo Show – Bristol
2013 British Breakthrough BAFTA Nominee - Make Up Trainee for Tv & Film
2010 'Wolf & Beads' - Solo Show - Byron Bay - Australia