Talking Points: Louise Despont
A collection of imagery and sources designed to stimulate conversation around the work of Louise Despont.
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Louise Despont
“[In drawing] the downshift in speed is what opened the door for information and inspiration to step through”
Louise Despont is an artist whose practice focuses on drawing. Her works comprise of detailed geometric drawings which evolve organically. The making of the artwork, and the outcomes, are powerful, meditative and mindful.
She lives in USA and Bali.
www.louisedespont.com/
Nicelle Beauchene Gallery
Apologies if you cannot watch the videos below if YouTube is blocked in your school. The videos do not appear on other platforms, but we thought they were worth including. Pls ask your school IT to see if they can whitelist these videos.
In the videos below, Louise describes how art and life are intrinsically linked.
For younger children: As teacher we think you will enjoy all the videos. Pls select sections to show your own class.
“Drawing has taught me to see, and it has taught me a quality of attention unparalleled to most other states of mind.”
In the TedTalk below, Louise Despont shares why she thinks drawing is so important both to herself and to us all as human beings.
How and where Louise finds inspiration…
Questions to Ask Children
Do you think Louise has a clear idea of the outcome before she starts each piece?
How long do you imagine she works on each piece? How does she know when a piece is finished? Is a piece ever finished?
How do the drawings make you feel?
How would it feel to make drawings like that?
Louise gives advice:
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Look at your work upside down for a new perspective.
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Reorganise your pages to see if there isn’t an entirely different story inside the one you had.
What do you think she means by this advice, and can you apply it to your own work?
Look around you. Could you begin to collect images or objects, using your instinct, that you are attracted to. Could you use them as a starting point to draw? What tools could you use to help you draw?
This Talking Points Is Used In...
using sketchbooks to make visual notes
Show me what you see
