Louise Saxton - WILD

As a member of the Australian Lace Guild I have taken on the job of writing a regular article for the Australian Lace Magazine.  The articles will focus on contemporary lace makers and artists who use lace as inspiration for their work.  The bonus is that the artists might also agree to allow me to feature them in this blog.

The first artist I have the honour of introducing is the amazing Australian Artist Louise Saxton.  If you are lucky enough to be in Melbourne between November 12 - December 5 please head to her exhibition entitled WILD.

WILD  
12 November - 5 December
Gould Galleries
270 Toorak Road, South Yarra 3141

www.gouldgalleries.com

Louise Saxton in studio with Feint Heart 2015 after Adrian Feint 1944
(Photo shows work in progress)
Reclaimed needlework, glass-head pins, lace pins, nylon tulle
Approx. H 185 x W 165cm

Louise uses 'reclaimed' embroidery and lace to create amazing artworks.  Although each reclaimed piece holds a new purpose in her work, it still honours its historical origins.

Louise's work developed an embroidery/lace focus after a residency in Kuala Lumper in 2006.  She had always loved textiles but the immersion in the exotic birds, insects and gardens inspired her to begin working with the 'garden that is embroidery'.  Louise collects the embroidery and lace  from markets, op shops, friends, family and travels.  She then creates her work by cutting and pinning these pieces together to form a contemporary tactile assemblage.  

When asked about her current body of work for WILD Louise stated - 

In this exhibition I turn my attention from birds and insects to flora, but in a more eclectic way, however my concerns for the loss of domestic art traditions and species in the natural world are still prevalent.  The title WILD speaks to my process and the various materials I use, as well as my motivation behind this more eclectic second exhibition at Gould Galleries.  In Sanctuary Too I sought to find sanctuary for the disappearing materials and in WILD I have sought to “go wild” – in both my approach to the medium and in my imagination.  For me the term describes the overall impact I hope the exhibition will have and also its references to nature.  While only a portion of the embroidery used to create this body of work is Australian wildflowers, the entire flora in the exhibition (from the most stylized or the most accurate embroidered motif, to my reinterpreted paintings of flowers) has its origins in a wildflower somewhere in the world.  Even genetically modified flora comes from a wild source.  Overall I hope that the viewer might leave the exhibition with a sense of “that was wild”.

Bubo & Snow 2014 – after Edward Lear 1832
Reclaimed needlework, lace pins, nylon tulle and silk on museum board
H 73 x W 52cm
Private Collection Boston MA, USA

Louise Saxton in studio with Feint Heart 2015 after Adrian Feint 1944
(Photo shows work in progress)
Reclaimed needlework, glass-head pins, lace pins, nylon tulle
Approx. H 185 x W 165cm

I have had the privilege of seeing Louise's work and love the texture and sculptural quality her pieces have as each piece is pinned together.  Her works are contemporary while honouring the tradition and beauty of each reclaimed piece.

If you are in Melbourne and can get to Gould Galleries please do.  You will not regret seeing these pieces, their textures, colours and beauty

For more examples of Louise’s exquisite work head to http://www.louisesaxton.com/ Under the Journal section you will find some amazing detail of the creation of “Feint Heart” and “Partum Floralia” 2015, both of which will feature in the WILD exhibition.

Photos by Gavin Hansford