In her vibrant, geometric prints, South Carolina’s Sunny Mullarkey reveals her fascination with repetition of patterns: Both in nature and man made.
The artist: Born in San Diego, Mullarkey grew up in a Navy family who eventually settled in Beaufort, SC. She studied fine art and media art at Anderson University and the University of South Carolina.
The studio: Sunny Mullarkey Studio, based in Greenville, SC, started in 2014. While she has a home studio, Mullarkey works mostly out of a studio in the Village of West Greenville.
In the beginning: As a child, she drew daily, but began to get serious about art in high school, attending the SC Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities, where she studied printmaking. She also enrolled in printmaking classes in college.
“I like the physical act of printmaking,” she said.
After college, her young family was her primary focus. Once her three children were in school, she had more time for art.
The goods: Linocut collage with layers of color and patterns, including circles and arcs.
The process:
- Carve linoleum blocks and print onto unryu, a Japanese mulberry paper.
- Cut and collage prints onto paper or birch wood panels.
- Apply mediums and varnishes to achieve a final look.
What’s popular: Colorful, 12 inch by 12-inch collages on birch panels ($155 to $225).
Other favorites: Larger sizes, like 24 inches by 24 inches ($475 to $575).
Inspiration: On a flight to Denver, an aerial view of the agricultural lands carved by irrigation systems.
“The repetition of shapes and colors was mesmerizing,” she said, and eventually inspired her current “Overview” series.
Honor: In 2019, she was the poster artist for the 15th anniversary of Artisphere, a popular arts festival in Greenville.
What’s next: Exhibiting at the Atlanta Dogwood Arts Festival (Aug. 6-8) and Art in the Park in Marietta (Sept. 4-6).
Where to buy: sunnymullarkey.com
Get social at:
Instagram: sunnymullarkeystudio
