INSPIRING PEOPLE

Artist Louise Saxton weaves together textiles, history and creativity in her stunning art and self-published book – Louise Saxton: Cut & Pinned

Interview byJulian Odessa

Louise Saxton has aunique gift –she takes the forgotten and makes it unforgettable. From delicate scraps of vintage lace to handstitched linens rescued from flea markets, her art transforms discarded textiles into intricate, whimsical masterpieces. “I like to think of my work as akind of treasure hunting,” Louise says. “But instead of jewels, I’m searching for forgotten stories stitched into fabric.”

But Louise didn’t start her artistic life in textiles, “It was after years working with painting and printmaking that textiles spoke to me.” What began as afascination became two decades of collecting, reclaiming and re-imagining discarded needlework, collated together in her recently self-published book Louise Saxton: Cut &Pinned, abook that pays homage and gives anew voice to the lives and labours of the original makers Louise credits her mother, Nanna, and seven aunties – “all needlewomen in one form or another” – as central to her creative life. Growing up surrounded by the hum of sewing machines and the clatter of knitting needles left an indelible mark on her. “Mum taught me to sew and knit my own clothes,” she recalls. “But it wasn’t just about making things. It was about finding sanctuary in the act of creating.”