Louise McNaught
Louise McNaught completed her Fine Art Degree BSc (Hons) in 2012 at the University of Greenwich, and she has continued to work as a professional artist ever since, with international representation. She also became a published Author in 2018. Her artwork has also been featured in art fairs in Milan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Stockholm, Brussels and all over the UK.
Louise‘s depicts animals as God-like, supreme beings that deserve our respect and protection, her work does this by reflecting upon the delicate relationship between humans and nature. She highlights man's destructive tendencies when it comes to nature in her art, sometimes in controversial ways and mostly her work features endangered species. The imagery often takes on a duality of not only what is happening to the animal itself, but also reflects how we feel psychologically about the effect the human race is having on these species. Her focus on endangered species has manifested in a book called 'Survival', which Louise created with worldwide publishers Big Picture Press in September 2018. The idea came from the Solo Show Louise was doing with George Thornton Gallery in 2016, also called 'Survival'. The book shows 20 endangered animals painted by McNaught, with facts about the animals plight and conservation efforts. 'Survival' is sponsored by the well-known charity Tusk.org with proceeds of the book going toward helping their cause.
By subverting traditional representation she hints at darker consequences, yet paradoxically giving animals an elevated status. Her animals are a medium for self-expression, as lack of context and background suspends the creatures in an internal or even numinous space, where they become a metaphor for the human condition and psyche. By drawing the viewers attention to the animals presence and energy, McNaught is hoping to share with the viewer the awe that the natural world inspires within her.
"Her work presents a pleasant balance between traditional technique and new age spunk" The Quiet Lunch Magazine
