Louise Wells is an artist based in Perth, Western Australia. She has always had a love of textiles right from when her left handed Nanna tried to teach her to crochet right handed. A long break from a full time textile practice in her 20′s to raise her children allowed Louise to learn and explore many areas of textile interest for pure enjoyment. Her current art practice is the result of this development and life experience.

Looking at the lost beauty in the ordinary is a major theme she explores, and this has led to a focus on the use of recycled materials, mostly textiles, for their suggested narrative and concerns over waste and for the environment.

Her work is inspired by domestic life, family stories and observations on current events. Over the past few years, the main focus of Louise’s work has been in her local community. Her solo exhibition “Suburban Secrets” 2021, explores the history and changes in Inglewood WA over the past 100 years. Her recent collaborative exhibition “It’s a Matter of How You Look at Things” takes inspiration from her observations of the small often-overlooked and often delightful elements on her daily walk around her suburb.

Louise has exhibited in numerous group and jury selected exhibitions. She is a finalist in Bunbury Biennale 2023, International Fibre Art Australia 2023, Australia Wide 8 2022, twentyFIVE+ 2022, York Botanic Art Prize 2021, Collie Art Prize (CAP) and Australian Textile Award 2020. In 2019 her work was selected for Cultura Diffusa, Como Italy and Fiber Arts IX, California USA. She has also been a five times finalist in Wearable Art Mandurah, winning the Avant Garde category in 2017.

Louise is currently actively involved in her local community as Co-coordinator of Inglewood Arts Hub and Co-coordinator of Quilt and Textile Study Group WA.

Her work is held in both public and private collections.

A formal CV is available here.