MUNTHE ART MONDAY: LOUISE BODY

Name: Louise Body
From: UK
Profession: Kunstmaler
Instagram: louisebodypaintings
Facebook: Louise Body Paintings
Website: louisebody.com

Introduce yourself and tell us about what you do
I live in Hastings on the South Coast of the UK with my husband and 2 children. I am an artist inspired by my surroundings and the coastal landscape. Having lived by the sea for most of my life I am naturally drawn to using this in my work. I paint from memory, creating places through a balance between representational and abstract forms, as if combining the imprint of a photograph in your mind which is then abstracted by the memories and feelings of a place. I trained in Fine Art and graduated in the early 1990’s. I have had a long career as a wallpaper and textile designer and in the last two years have returned to painting full time.

Could you explain more about how being a woman has affected your career?
It is frustrating knowing that women are still underrepresented in the art world and works of art by women will generally (particularly at the top) sell for less than their male counterparts. After art college, I ended up in the world of textile and wallpaper design which felt easier to navigate but I think that now being able to promote our own work through social media and the internet has helped give us more autonomy.

Can you name some other female (artist) that inspires you and explain why they do so?
Female artists that inspire me are Hilma Af Klint (Swedish, 1862-1944). She was a pioneer of abstract art; her earliest abstract paintings were completed years before many of her more famous male counterparts such as Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian.

Frida Kahlo (Mexican, 1907-1954) For her unapologetic passion and amazing use of colour and pattern.

Prunella Clough (British, 1919 –1999) I love the subdued colours she uses, the marks she makes and the mysterious simplicity of her abstract paintings.

What has been the most challenging aspect of being a female artist?
For me, the biggest challenge as a female artist was having a family and finding the time, focus and energy to continue my creative practice whilst my children were young. I also think that this can promote a lack of confidence when entering back into the art world and a lack of confidence in making new work.

What would you like people to notice in your artwork?
I hope that people can see an authenticity in my paintings, something they feel they haven’t seen before and a glimpse of the world through someone else’s eyes. 

Each Monday we bring you a fresh interview with an exciting female artist.
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