Saudade
A collection of paintings from life back then

I work mainly from old photographs - family snaps and Polaroids. I choose images that tell strangely familiar stories to evoke complex emotions and elusive ideas. Nostalgic certainly, but the word ‘nostalgia’ doesn’t entirely sum up what I’m aiming for.

I wanted to find a word that described a feeling of absence. A fond longing for something that is missing, as well as bitter-sweet remembering. A word that would hit the nail on the head. The word I landed upon is ‘Saudade’ which is common parlance in Portuguese but beyond direct translation to English.Writing for the language website Rosetta Stone, Celinne Da Costa puts it best:

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“It describes a deep emotional state; a yearning for a happiness that has passed, or perhaps never even existed. It carries with it a touch of melancholy, yet in that wistfulness there is love as well. One thing is certain: the object or person of saudade does not inhabit the present space or time”.

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Louise is happy to discuss ideas and answer any questions about commissions. Please feel free to get in touch directly or take a look at her online shop for original figurative works and prints.