LOUISE ISACKSON | ARTIST STATEMENT
Location: Brisbane, Australia.
t +61432259677 e: louiseisackson@gmail.com
w: www.louiseisackson.com
I’m an expressive painter exploring colour by interpreting music and sound into a visual language. Music and Colour can be paired by resonance, harmony, and composition along with many other sensory parallels, as proven by historical artists in this abstract tradition (Kandinsky, Klee, Albers). Working with the correlation between music and sound I’m uncovering endless possibilities as a conceptual framework for my practice. I explore these ideas in a combination of methods including intuitive mark-making, rhythmic brushstrokes, formalist geometry, and the continued practice of light intersecting orb compositions. Besides oil on canvas, I’m experimenting with a combination of materials such as collage, pigmented resin on board, relief shapes on acrylic perspex or panels. Often my aesthetic approach incorporates design elements that stem from experiences as a visual designer.
My inspiration to make art in this tradition is an ongoing pursuit to integrate my two passions: Art and Music. Born into a musical family, I’ve learnt music theory and played piano from an early age through to adulthood. I’m endlessly thrilled with this playful abstract approach to the making of images that are musical in some way. The artworks are either interpreting sounds, or titled with the language of musical movements from either classical music, jazz improvisation or inspiring tunes. My work aims to visually capture many elements related to music. Mostly, I’m expressing ideas related to tone, pitch, tempo, resonance, volume, harmony and composition.
My work is deeply influenced by the history of abstraction and in particular the artists of the Bauhaus School in the mid 1920’s including Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee and Jossel Albers. Kandinsky’s theories in ‘Concerning the Spiritual in Art’ are a pivotal reference for my paintings, especially when considering colour effects and the use of forms towards an abstract language. I’m also interested in musical composers that have worked closely with colour such as Oliver Messiaen, Scriabin, and Schonberg. I am fascinated by the visceral effects of colour while exploring a range of mediums, colours and forms that capture musicality in art.
LOUISE ISACKSON | ARTIST CV
EDUCATION
2016 Masters Creative Industries (MCI). Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Kelvin Grove, Brisbane. QLD
2015 Experience and Interaction Design. General Assembly Sydney, NSW
1997 Diploma of Visual Communication. Design College Australia Brisbane QLD
1993 B.A. Fine Art: Painting Major. QCA: Griffith University, Brisbane QLD
EDUCATIONAL ROLES
2019 Studio Painting Classes and Workshops. Studio 18 Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
2015 Design Thinking Workshops: Venture Crowd, General Assembly, Oakton.
2003 Guest Lecturer QUT Graphic & Visual Design. Kelvin Grove Campus
2002 Sessional Teacher (Design). QCA. Griffith University, QLD
1998 Graphic Design Teacher. Martin College Brisbane QLD
ART PRIZES
2024 Finalist - PLC Armidale Signature Art Prize. Armidale NSW
2024 Finalist - Noosa Art Prize. The Non-Gallery. Noosa QLD
2024 Finalist - Rotary Art Spectacular, Brisbane QLD
2024 Finalist - Lethbridge Small Scale Art Prize, Brisbane QLD
2024 Finalist - Omnia Art Prize. St Kevin's College, Toorak VIC
2023 Finalist - Lethbridge Small Scale Art Prize, Brisbane QLD
2023 Finalist - Fairholme Art Prize, Toowoomba QLD
2023 Finalist - Rotary Art Spectacular, Brisbane QLD
2020 Finalist - Lethbridge Small Scale Art Prize, Brisbane QLD
2019 Finalist - Rotary Art Spectacular, Brisbane QLD
2018 Finalist - COSSAG Art Prize Exhibition, Brisbane QLD
1993 Finalist - Churchie Emerging Art Prize. Brisbane QLD
EXHIBITIONS (SOLO)
2020 ‘Colour Ensembles’. Side Gallery, Brisbane Australia
2019 ‘Fields of Light’. The Third Quarter Gallery (Solo exhibition) Brisbane QLD
2018 ‘Studio Launch’ Artist Studio. Brisbane, QLD
2005 ‘Manhattan Transfer’. Baguette Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
2002 ‘Landscapes of Thought’. Doggett Street Studios Brisbane, QLD
1995 ‘Illumination’. Metro Arts Gallery. Brisbane, QLD
EXHIBITIONS (GROUP)
2023 ‘Atmosphere’ Group Exhibition. Artprenr Gallery Brisbane QLD
2023 ‘Fairholme Open Art Prize’ Finalist Exhibition. Toowoomba, QLD
2023 ‘Rotary Art Show’. Finalist Exhibition. Brisbane QLD
2022 ‘TEN’ Grand Opening Exhibition. Artprenr Gallery, Brisbane Australia
2021 ‘Wings’. Revival Art and Design Gallery, Brisbane Australia
2021 ‘Glimpse’. Side Gallery, Brisbane , QLD
2021 ‘Colour Pop’. Art Lovers Australia, Gold Coast, QLD
2020 ‘Loom’. Side Gallery, Brisbane Australia
2019 ‘Rotary Art Show’. Finalist Exhibition. Brisbane QLD
2019 ‘TEN’ Group Exhibition: 10 Artists: White Canvas Gallery. Brisbane QLD
2017 ‘X-HIBITION’ Studio 18 Gallery. Brisbane, QLD
Songwriter Showcase with accompanied Artists: Louise Isackson & Kellie North
1992 ‘Art = Aura’. Space Plentitude. Brisbane, QLD
1993 ‘Churchie Emerging Art Prize’. Finalist Exhibition. Brisbane QLD
1993 ‘Graduate Exhibition 1993' QCA Gallery. Brisbane, QLD
COLLECTIONS
Works held by commission or private collections in locations throughout Queensland, NSW, Victoria, New Zealand, United States, Germany and Japan.