Inspired by the rarefied world of fashion, Elsbeth Shaw captures it in her artworks which balance colour, light, shadow and emotion …
My artworks are created as a celebration of my lifelong fascination with fashion, colour and design. They are crafted using hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of individual circles that transform images into an entirely new language. The works of Yayoi Kusama, Chuck Close, David Hockney, Gerhard Richter and Amedeo Modigliani have all been a huge inspiration to my work.
Fashion is a key inspiration for me and always has been. My mum was a fashion buyer and had her own boutique. Sometimes I would go on buying trips with her to London. I was only eight at the time and can so vividly picture the fabulous room where models glided before us. Each buyer would hold a collection of coloured discs that were handed out to the models when there was something that caught your eye. After the show, rails appeared with all the clothes you had “circled”. This, as you can imagine, was pure magic to me as a child. It was such a special introduction to fashion, colours and fabrics.
My art career began when I worked for many years as an assistant to an artist. I would help with the day to day running of the studio. I organised fabrication, arranged printing, mixing colours and paints. It was a steep learning curve, and I was taught that if I truly wanted to be an artist I had to find my own voice, something that resonated with me. As fashion was always such an integral part of my joy, I explored this as a subject matter and my draw to the circle and combining the two seemed inevitable.
My works are intentionally precise. I map out each work, which is initially challenging, only because it fascinates me that each work holds within it so many differing variations and directions. Suddenly a colour or light will spark for me and then I can follow my process, and the work will just flow. Sometimes less is more – or sometimes a piece needs more detail.
A highlight was to work with fashion designer Paul Smith for his 50th anniversary at his Mayfair store. I also adore the work of designer Louise Trotter, my dream would be to collaborate with her one day.
My most recent works are on show at Róisín Lafferty Gallery in Dublin where you will find a work titled “Runway” in which bold yellow highlights take centre stage and holds a strong visual vibrancy. This piece really excites me because of the way it changes the longer you spend with it and the closer that you get.
In the blue room at the Gallery is a work called “No Matter What You Do” – the model stands tall and she truly is a celebration of my growing and evolving as both an artist and a designer. I am always juggling different collections and commissions at any one time; at the moment I have just finished a commission for Vienna and am finishing a collection entitled “Hall And Oates”. After visiting with Róisín Lafferty, I’m thrilled to share that we have discussed a collaboration together and I cannot wait to see what our combined enthusiasm for fashion and art produce!
Need to Know: Discover the work of Elsbeth Shaw, exclusively represented in Ireland by Róisín Lafferty Gallery. Follow Elsbeth on Instagram @elsbethshaw.
