I practice the technique known as Verre églomisé an art form originating in the Middle Ages. It involves painting in reverse on glass/acetate and I use this technique in a deliberate contemporary way. I also work across all mediums including digital. I have a studio at This Is Not a Toy Store where I also make art toys.
Part of the work I do is my attempt to delve deeper and understand neurodiversity and gender. Cartoons, like people, are prescribed a gender at conception… whether in the artist’s mind before pencil hits paper or when the image emerges. Why can’t cartoons be gender fluid … would people still relate to them?
What about the connection between neurodiversity and gender … a large amount of people on the spectrum struggle with gender identity… is this because gender is another social construct that the neuro diverse find hard to understand… because like much of the socially constructed world it doesn’t make sense?
I have also done various explorations into representations of women from early modern to contemporary times. Inspiration for these comes from questioning misogyny in the Western Philosophical tradition and the canon of classical literature. These include my self-portraits; erotic pop art, feminist posters, the series titled Painting a Philosophy of Misogyny and the The Vanishing Vulva series which explores how the ancient Greeks wrote women out of worship.
Finally, I have also been creating still life paintings of kitsch toys, statues and “pretty” things. These explore theories around feminist kitsch aesthetics, the division between craft and fine art, and resulting traditional delegation to craft of artwork created by women.
I have studied a Bachelor of Arts encompassing philosophy and literature and an Advanced Diploma in Visual Arts.
EXHIBITIONS/AWARDS
Competitions
Best Body of Work Award – MERAKI Group Exhibition 2020 https://aspaceonline.com.au/louella-kennedy-meraki
Runner Up Fact or Fiction Art Prize 2020
Winner Fairfield Art Prize 2019
Kip and Co Art Series Bean Bag Competition – WINNER 2015
Exhibitions
2023 My Little Phoney Show – This Is Not A Toy Store
2023 Year of the Rabbit Show- This Is Not A Toy Store
2022 Rainbow Show – Incube8r Fitzroy
2022 Wear It Purple Show and Unmasked Show – Sensorium Preston
2022. Small Works Show – Brunswick Street Gallery
2022 This is Not a Toy Store Exhibitions
December Krampus Workshop Show
November Chomp’d Down Under – Moko Select
September Notzilla Show -This Is Not A Toy Store
July Bin Chickens – Mothership Art Studio
June All New Toys – Sensorium Studio
May Norenko Show – This Is Not A Toy Store
March Battle Cat – Lobos Collectables
February Pin Party Show – This Is Not A Toy Store
Manifest Exhibition KUNSTMATRIX 2021
Meraki Exhibition A Space Gallery 2020
Botanic Exhibition A Space Gallery 2020
Fact or Fiction Exhibition A Space Gallery 2020
Midway Show A Space Gallery 2020
Colour Space Gallery various Melbourne Venues 2018-19
Axiom of Devour for Melbourne Fringe Festival 2017
FIXATE for RAW Natural Born Artists 2017
Brunswick Street Gallery Small Works Exhibition 2017
Illustre Exhibition Prahran Melbourne Polytechnic 2016
Linden Postcard Exhibition 2016
Open Mind Exhibition 2016
Brunswick Street Gallery 2016
Penny Beam Gallery 2016
Open Thornbury 2016
Linden Art Gallery Postcard Exhibition 2015
Couch Fest at NCAT 2015
The Melbourne Clinic as part of National Mental Health Week 2015
Deakin Edge Federation Square for NCAT 2015
Brunswick Summer Arts Festival 2015