Artist Statement:Clay, with its sensuality and earthy transmutability, its capacity for spontaneity and formal exactitude, is the medium that inspires me. Whether I am capturing another’s gaze in a portrait or communicating a thought or feeling through a figure, I try to express myself from the heart.I have taken a particular interest in art therapy, portraiture and forensic reconstruction. These paths weave their way in differing patterns through my work. How history expresses itself through our ancestors, making a current portrait seem timeless, or a feeling in the moment seem true. BiographyLouise first trained in Fine Arts at Vancouver Community College, before studying in Italy with the University of Georgia, and receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University in Toronto. She obtained her accreditation as an art therapist from the Toronto Art Therapy Institute. She has traveled to England, Italy and the United States to take classes in sculpture and has studied forensic reconstruction under Karen T. Taylor.Currently, Louise works on her own artistic practice and commissioned pieces. Her bronze portrait bust and statue of Pope John Paul II can be seen at the John Paul II Papal Centre in Vancouver. Her work can be found in private collections in Canada, the U.S., England, and Australia.Louise has taught clay sculpting to all ages, both expressive and classical styles. Currently, she teaches workshops from her studio and as a guest artist in classrooms and community centers. In the Sculptors’ Society of BC she has held the titles of secretary, treasurer and vice president over the years.