Louise Kleinsorge Williams
The magic of anthropomorphic digital collages
Louise Williams is an artist who physically resides in the world of high-tech digital art but whose mind frequently takes excursions down the Rabbit Hole to Wonderland. There, she creates visual stories through anthropomorphism, attributing human characteristics, emotions, and intent to animals and objects. When humans are introduced into a scene, they are typically in the role of a dreamer, ghost, or otherworldly figure.
In creating her works, Williams merges photographic images of her own taking with intriguing stock images, and visual “quotes” - characters and scenery - from classic paintings. Whether intentional or not, Williams’s work is reminiscent of the pictures in many well-loved children’s books that feature anthropomorphism, such as those in Little Bear and Where the Wild Things Are, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, and Frog and Toad Are Friends, written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel. One might also imagine the illustrations in Beatrix Potter’s books, and those of Ernest H. Shepard, who contributed illustrations to Winnie the Pooh and The Wind and the Willow, and the evocative illustrations in the My Bookhouse series by Olive Beaupre Miller. There is also a bit of the whimsy and exquisite detail one finds in the famous dollhouses and dioramas of the first half of the 20th century, as represented in Willams’s use of photorealism. While utilizing the realism of a diorama, Williams blends in painterly digital techniques and layering to create a dreamscape that draws the viewer into another world and then politely invites them to imagine what they will.
Williams expresses her narrative vision through the masterful manipulation of photographic and artistic elements and in her reassigning of those elements to a new context, in the process creating a fantastical storyline. She dresses wild animals in elaborate period costumes and convincingly places them in urbane indoor and outdoor settings, melding the lighting, scale, and style in a way that allows the viewer to seamlessly enter the fantasy. One is captivated on multiple levels, drawn into beautiful architectural backdrops and landscapes with ethereal lighting effects, the animation of birds, and parallels in patterns between botanical elements and those human-made. All is done with an academic’s depth of understanding of historical style and narrative, in combination with a sophisticated sense of humor and of the ironic, and an innocence coupled with a belief in the impossible. Williams’s artistic instincts shine through on every level - in her use of space, colors, patterns, lighting, and motifs.
Influential in Williams’s work has been her photographing of people and places throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, something she has done most of her life. Also fascinating to Williams were her grandmother’s albums, which were full of family portraits from the 19th century, and surrealistic paintings, because of their ambiguity and the ironical nature of their imagery.
Williams has always been intrigued by the human condition, finding humor in its foibles and delights, but she has chosen to depict those human traits indirectly and at a safe distance – through animals who inhabit culturally sophisticated spaces and who take on human emotions and challenges, the technique used in the children’s books to which her work pays homage. And though Williams’s works would certainly appeal to children, their thematic complexity makes them most appropriate for adults.
Williams's personal journey and transformation are deeply embedded in her art. In her story 'Fun,' she reflects on the childhood challenges and experiences that left deep impressions on her artistic psyche. She shares, “My mother was born under the sign of fun, if there is such a thing, and she passed it along to me. Unfortunately, she was so busy keeping herself in line and trying to figure out what was ‘correct’ that she squandered it, whereas I learned early on that having fun was my lifeline, and I held on to it for dear life.” This journey of self-discovery and personal expression is beautifully captured in her art, as she describes, “Years later, in therapy, I once drew a picture of my mother and me. It was of two figure 8's, one with arrows all pointing outward, the other with arrows all pointing inward. My mom thought talk of the soul was a waste of time. It embarrassed her. She was all about reaching outward and engaging. At the time, I was all about reaching inward and discovering. Now, though, after all these years I am becoming the essence of my mother in so many ways. Through reaching inward, I've found my way outward and she is beside me in joyful engagement.”
One can enjoy more of Williams’s evocative artwork at Louise Williams Images, and on Instagram and Facebook. Her books, The Silver Lining and Squatters can be purchased through The Point Press. To inquire about prints, contact Williams directly at 510-232-9547.
Enjoying your words and these images :-)