Louise VentrisÂ
Artistic Approach and Process
Louise Ventris, winner of the 2024 Emerging Artist Awards, focuses on exploring urban townscapes through painting. She draws inspiration from moments of “dead time” — situations like being stuck in traffic or caught in gridlock. In these otherwise stressful and fleeting moments, she captures the essence of her surroundings, translating these observations into her art. Louise works intuitively with oil paint, building up layers and selectively scraping them back, continually refining and pushing the work forward.
Artistic Background
Louise’s passion for art began at a young age. Encouraged by her creative parents, she spent much of her childhood painting and drawing. She studied art in school and continued to pursue it as a hobby, developing her skills and artistic voice over time.
Emerging Artist Awards Experience and Working with SCAF
The Emerging Artist Awards theme of perception resonated deeply with Louise’s work, yet also encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone and pursue new opportunities. The awards allowed her to create work that was personally meaningful rather than commercially driven. Through SCAF, she built valuable social connections with other artists and found a supportive community that nurtured her creativity.
Inspirations and Themes
Based in Holmfirth, Louise is inspired by Yorkshire’s urban and rural environments. She regularly participates in art fairs in Holmfirth and engages with the Huddersfield Art Society. She also enjoys exploring the vibrant art scene in Leeds, drawing inspiration from the region’s diverse artistic culture.
Since her involvement with the Emerging Artist Awards, Louise has become a member of the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts and exhibited in numerous prestigious venues, including:
- Cheshire Art Fair
- Mercer Gallery, Harrogate – Moonlight to Burning Headlight (Solo Show), Jan-May 2024
- Royal Cambrian Academy of Art, Conwy – Open Exhibition, Jan 2024
- Studio 11, Hull – Feb 2024
- Highgate Contemporary Art – Anonymous Postcards, May 2024
- Society of Women Artists, Mall Gallery, London – June 2024
- Sculpture Lounge, Holmfirth – July 2024
- Holmfirth Art Week – July 2024Â
Future Aspirations and Emerging Ambitions
Looking ahead, Louise aims to expand her reach by connecting with a larger audience and gaining more gallery representation. She hopes to secure more solo exhibitions and continue to grow her artistic practice, sharing her vision with new audiences and platforms.
