Warwick Art Gallery - Solo Exhibition

DO I MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE? Solo exhibition at Warwick Art Gallery 13th June to 13th July 2024.

A statement on how society perceives the behaviours of the neurodivergent by creating feelings of discomfort and misapprehension when viewing a collection of insects and creatures.

Elise highlights the vast number of differences in neurodiverse brains and how their eccentricities can be viewed in a negative light. Through her own personal experiences of being neurodivergent she presents commonly ostracised creatures and generates an environment that addresses the stigma surrounding ASD & ADHD.

This body of work explores how the behaviours of the neurodivergent can be perceived as strange and can generate a feeling of discomfort for the neurotypical person and vice versa. To allow neurotypical people to experience the feelings an odd bug can produce and draw parallels between their experience and their feelings towards neurodivergent people. Similar to the way a strange creature can make you feel slightly uncomfortable by their presence and behaviour.

How neurotypical and neurodivergent brains operate and how the differences are not to be feared but celebrated. Neurodivergent idiosyncrasies need to be taken into consideration more often because operating in a world designed for and by neurotypicals is exhausting. Look at a spider or a grub in the garden and observe their habits. They might seem peculiar or eerie but they have a purpose. These different lifeforms live life in a certain way that makes their actions intentional and needed for their wellbeing. Neurodivergent people need this but often lack the ability due to judgement and prejudice from the outside world.

ARTIST BIO

Elise Heather is a Toowoomba based mixed media and textile artist who makes out of her home based studio in Wilsonton. Her works are inspired by nature, the unseen & forgotten and her experiences with ASD (as a neurodivergent person and parent to one). Although being autistic is not all Elise is, it does define a large part of how she interacts and interprets with the world as well as parts of her artistic process.

Elise is a self taught artist who, over the past 10 years, has developed her own techniques of mixing second hand fibres and fabric with other materials to create one of a kind sculptural pieces. Elise is drawn to the details in things, not just the overall. Seeing the little hairs on a spider’s legs or the shimmer of a wing. Finding those details beautiful and interesting. Her techniques have been honed through years of play and multiple different crafts including embroidery, sewing, sculpting, paper mache and painting. She likes to use a variety of new and secondhand materials such as thrifted material and reclaimed paper and card scraps.

DO I MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE?

I had the pleasure of exhibiting at Toowoomba Regional Council's Rosalie Gallery 8th Feb to 5th March 2023. It is a beautiful light filled space located in Goombungee just 30 minutes from Toowoomba. The perfect place for my first solo exhibition.

Mid 2022 I fell down a step late on a Friday night just before bed. I landed heavily on my left foot and heard an ungodly crunch. Pain surged through to body as I lay on the concrete floor. An ambulance ride and 8 hours later, I was home, leg wrapped up and on crutches. I couldn't do anything for the next 9 weeks except sit in different parts of the house. Prior to my injury I was exploring some new techniques for my art. Afterwards I realized, since I couldn't do much else, it was the perfect time to expand on these. I wanted to continue to explore my arts practice and branch out into the unknown. I wanted to exhibit, learn and continue to grow.

This collection was born out of self reflection, societal misconceptions and the wonder for all the tiny worlds held by minute creatures. The thought that these small lifeforms have their own lives to live, their own ways of doing things and whole ecosystems in just a small patch in the garden was fascinating.

STATEMENT

This body of work explores how the behaviors of neurodivergent (ASD & ADHD) people can be perceived as strange and can generate a feeling of discomfort for the neurotypical person and vice versa. I feel neurodivergent 'eccentricities' need to be taken into consideration more often because operating in a world designed for and by neurotypicals is exhausting. Through my experiences of being neurodivergent I present mixed media sculptures of commonly ostracized insects and creatures, generating an environment that addresses the stigma surrounding ASD & ADHD.

Look at a spider or a grub in the garden and observe their habits. They might seem peculiar or eerie but they have a purpose. These different lifeforms live life in a certain way that makes their actions intentional and needed for their wellbeing. Neurodivergent people lack this ability at times due to judgment and prejudice from the outside world.

The way my brain operates means I’m drawn to the details in things, not just the overall. I notice the little hairs on a spider’s legs or the shimmer of a wing and find those details beautiful and interesting. These pieces have been developed through years of play and multiple different techniques including embroidery, sewing, sculpting, paper mache and painting.

I see my child growing up with a formal diagnosis and notice the differences between how I was viewed while growing up and how my child is now. Looking back and seeing my childhood in a different light I also see my own struggles mirroring and paralleling those of my child. However, I believe that our differences are not to be feared but celebrated.

All artworks, text and photographs © Elise Heather Loxley 2023

The Home Project on the Road

On 13th & 14th January I had the pleasure of filling in as one of the artists at the 'Home Project on the Road' three day arts series workshops. The original artists had participated in online arts workshops over the Covid peak last year and took to the road to deliver face to face workshops with the regions young people.

I visited Pittsworth and Cambooya and taught groups of kids loom weaving. We constructed cardboard looms and made basic tapestry pieces. Each component needed was made from something readily available around the house. This enabled the kids to continue what they learnt with little effort or investment from their adults. The kids had full control over their design and colour choices. For some it was a lesson in patience and others found an instant love for the craft.

I am thankful for the opportunity to share my love of textiles with the next generation.