About The Artist
Born in 1961, I enjoyed a happy childhood in essex. My ambitions in life were 1)to be Jacques Cousteau 2)to find a cure for cancer and 3)to become a professional ballet dancer. Unfortunately I didn't manage any of those things!I also loved to draw and look and think but was persuaded at school that science was a much more sensible option than art. In 1979 I headed north to Sheffield to study biochemistry and ended up staying over 20 years - it's a great place. After graduating I worked in the NHS until having children. Finding myself suddenly alone with two young children, I decided it was time to find a new direction and turned to art. I graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 2002 with a BA in fine art. I enjoyed setting up a studio with my friend Lesley Warren (who has since taken it on to greater things - visit www.hangingwater.co.uk), participating in the Sheffield 'Open Up' open studio events and occasionally going in to schools as a 'visiting artist'.
Just before graduating I met the love of my life (actually remet - we went to school together!) and in 2003 I moved to a village north of York to be with him. The only downside was being too happy, content and engrossed in house renovation to make art but with his unending support and encouragement I am trying to get going again.
I do not consider myself to be a photographer. I am an artist who often uses photography as a medium. The photos I consider most successful often look more like paintings or film stills. Sometimes I describe what I do as painting with photographs. My tutor at art college called it problematising representation - I called it looking at looking. I spent years being 'inside looking in' and 'inside looking out' (typically feminine according to another tutor), pondering the position of artist and viewer. I liked to use devices including mirrors, windows and doorways to create opportunities for transition, to manipulate the position and status of the viewer - to take them inside the picture. Due to my change in circumstances I now spend much more time being 'outside looking out'!
As well as taking photographs, I also enjoy painting with oils and pastels (usually with my fingers!), charcoal drawing and monoprinting. Though I love taking photos of plants I hate drawing them. I much prefer the figure - except for ears - they annoy me! Other sources of inspiration are the Cornish landscape and dance. I only recently had to give up ballet dancing through ill health and miss it dreadfully. I would love to be able to draw and paint what dancing feels like.
Louise Green 2007