Welcome to the world of Sally Nooney's animal paintings — a collection that ranges from the familiar to the wild, from the tender to the humorous. These paintings grew naturally from Sally's life in the North Carolina mountains, where encounters with wildlife are a daily gift.
Living in the High Country near Banner Elk, Sally and her husband Frank share their land with a remarkable cast of animal characters. Deer appear at the wood's edge at dusk. Foxes pick their way through the garden in early morning. Wild turkeys parade through the field. Owls call across the darkness. And occasionally, a black bear materializes out of the forest.
"We are so fortunate to live in the country and see so many animals in the wild... I love painting them all!"
Sally's People's Choice Award-winning Oops! Wrong Tree captures an animal caught in an embarrassing moment — the kind of slapstick that reminds us that the natural world has plenty of room for comedy.
Among the most requested commissions are portraits of beloved pets — dogs and cats, horses and birds. As the Humane Society of the United States notes, art depicting animals has historically deepened human empathy and connection with the animal world.