Louise Bird

Painting

Louise has been working as a portrait artist for over twenty years, a number of exhibitions and many relocations later, (including Birmingham; Cirencester; Qatar and now Ilfracombe) Louise is now creating her own pieces alongside her commissioned work.

Louise has always been inspired by the figure, and people have been the overwhelming subject matter throughout her creative journey. Her most recent works however, are now exploring emotional reactions to her present circumstances. As a mother, Louise has watched her children grow and become confident young adults. At the same time she is now a joint carer for her own mother who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The struggle in seeing her mother transform from an adult to a childlike state again has been a difficult one. Her recent paintings depict feelings of being out of control, losing your footing, like falling in your sleep.

Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease. With over 14,000 people living with dementia in the Devon area alone, it is a growing issue for both sufferers and carers. The process of creating these paintings has been a cathartic one for Louise and she hopes other people will connect with the imagery too.