Greetings old friends and fellow bloggers

It's been an age since I wrote here, probably because I spend more time on my website Journal, which is a diary type blog. So please feel free to wander over there for a look-see at all my recent goings on:
http://www.louisesaxton.com

I'm back here today to share some great photos taken by my dear friend and photographer of 15 years Gavin Hansford, who as well as being a great documenter of other artists work, is a fabulous landscape photographer in his own right www.gavinhansford.com.au

The most recent pieces shown below have just been completed for my show later in the year at Gould Galleries (now scheduled for November) www.gouldgalleries.com 

Vanitas #1 - The Bather 2015
Reclaimed needlework, brass beading pins on museum board
92 x 98 cm

Vanitas 1 & 2 are inspired by the paintings of Herman Henstenburgh (1667-1726). 
I named Vanitas #1 The Bather, as it reminds me of the floral caps my mother's generation wore to keep their hair and ears dry when bathing! It is filled with exquisite embroidered motifs including silk Eagles with a sunset from China, cross-stitched Hummingbirds, roses found in a NYC flea market, French knotted roses from France, Australian native flora and fauna and some exquisite Art Nouveau silk poppies.

Vanitas #2 - The Twitcher 2015
Reclaimed needlework, brass beading pins on museum board
92 x 98 cm

I named this work The Twitcher as it is filled with embroidered birds of all sorts, colours and sizes, from different parts of the globe - America, Australia, China, England, Palestine and Vietnam

Vanitas #3 - The Storyteller 2015
Reclaimed needlework, brass beading pins on museum board
98 x 92 cm

I named this Vanitas - The Storyteller as it is based on a fetal skull (yes creepy I know!) and is filled with embroidered motifs which in some way reference childhood and storytelling - the bluebirds of happiness, the Koalas of Blinky Bill, Mexican people and animals, a Beatrix Potter rabbit, a Pirate with his parrot, gun, lantern and treasure, some cute puppies and a Spanish Galleon!

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post!

                                     Louise