Inspire: Louise Stewart Brown making waves in the Albany art scene with bold and vibrant ocean creations

Surrounded by her vibrant coastal-inspired work, artist and newly settled Albany resident Louise Stewart Brown is “chuffed” to be taking part in the 21st Southern Art and Craft Trail this month. Stewart Brown will throw open the doors of her home to show off her bold and brightly themed paintings, silk painted scarves, crocheting and weaving. Originally from Deniliquin in the New South Wales Riverina, Stewart Brown moved with her family to Esperance in 1960. Moving between Esperance, Albany and Perth multiple times throughout her life, she decided to put down roots in Albany in February. Stewart Brown said her creativity was an essential part of her, and at this time in her life, she could now concentrate on enjoying and creating her art. “It’s part of my DNA,” she said. “I think if you’re creative, it’s inside, and it’s got to come out somehow in some sort of creative expression. “During my early days in Esperance Primary School I didn’t really get that, what I did excel at was college art, then I started my diploma while working all the time and trying to save an awful amount of money to do a bit of travel. “It’s a bit different now at the other end, I can do it, and concentrate and love it. “It’s my passion, it’s always been inside.” Stewart Brown said the opportunity to take part in the art trail, a first for her, was “fabulous”. “I’m pretty chuffed to be a part of it,” she said. “They didn’t have anything like the art trail in Esperance. “I did do some art tutoring at the Cannery Arts Centre, which is not dissimilar to the Vancouver Arts Centre, but it’s slightly different and much smaller. “There’s no gallery or trail in Esperance, I did retail and had my art in my retail shop, but that was pretty much it.” Stewart Brown’s unique style is inspired by her visual approach. “A lot of people see in words — I see in pictures,” Stewart Brown said. “And it’s seeing those pictures sometimes that stimulates me to then try and create something, but then you have to learn how to create it, and that’s a long journey to get expertise. “Then you have to understand that you have your own style, and not much is going to change that, so once you come to terms with that, you can work with it.” Stewart Brown’s art currently has three focus areas: acrylics, ink and watercolour, and zentangle. “I do an awful lot of zentangle — it’s fabulous,” she said. “It’s like doodles, and that’s what I concentrate on if I don’t have a lot of space if I’m travelling or I just need to record something, I’ll use it quite often.” There is one thing, however, that she has struggled to translate into a physical form. “The hardest thing I have found is ocean birds, because birds have got their own expression, but I think I’m finally getting there,” she said. “It’s been a long process and it is a bit of fun. “When I was doing ocean scenes, I started putting a seagull in the corner of my ocean pictures and it became a bit of a joke — people would say; ‘Louise, where’s the seagull?’. “So I just went from that and learnt how to paint a seagull. “They’re not easy, no bird is easy — and especially if you particularly hate doing birds.” Stewart Brown said learning was a “continuous journey” and her expertise was always growing with her desire to create. “It’s changeable all the time and experimental, because I love different mediums, so it’s trying to sort of take them to the edge,” Stewart Brown said. “I think you get to the stage where if you have a handle on whatever it is you do, you stretch it and try something else to improve your art and your vision. “I love colour, I love bright and bold, but I also do a little bit of subdued style pieces — not everybody’s into bright and bold sadly.” Stewart Brown is one of more than 500 artists on display for the 2024 Southern Arts and Craft Trail exhibiting in galleries and homes around the Great Southern from September 21.