Art and Soul
Louise Hill Design layers the colours and cultures of Asia in stunning creations that will bring vibrancy and character to any home
Tucked away in an unassuming black-and-white apartment block within the charming colonial Wessex Estate is the studio of graphic designer-turned-artist Louise Hill. Entering her workspace is like stepping into a kaleidoscope: spanning the width of the wall above her desk is Hill’s vibrant mood board, filled to the brim with her ideas and inspiration, while eye-catching artworks vie for attention alongside meticulously curated objects from her time living in Asia. At the heart of it all stands an island of calm white—the artist’s worktable, where she can often be found painstakingly hand-finishing some of her more elaborate pieces.
“My process is truly my ‘labour of love,’” Hill says. “So time and patience are definitely virtues that I wouldn’t compromise on, as I believe my work wouldn’t look the way it does if I ‘cut corners’. This also applies to the finish and quality of the materials I use to create ‘archival museum-grade’ prints.”
Hill, who began her career as a graphic designer specialising in package design, established Louise Hill Design in 2013. After travelling through Asia, Hill moved to Shanghai and then Hong Kong.
She found herself inspired by the vibrant cultures and colours around her, and so began creating her own artworks. In 2014, Hill moved to Singapore with her husband and twin sons, and has continued to find inspiration in the country’s dynamic cityscape.
“I used to live in a shophouse in Katong and now a black-and-white apartment near Tanglin Halt, where I enjoy the traditional feel of Singapore living,” she says. “Beyond the glitzy modern buildings, I like to discover the grassroots feel of a city, so I often spend time walking down the back alleys of Joo Chiat, Chinatown and Little India, looking for a Singapore that is a little grittier and ‘off-the-beaten track’.”
Since moving to Singapore, Hill has participated in a number of collaborations. In 2018, she worked with Kendall Hamill, owner of Temple Candles, to create a special edition Peony Petal & Fern candle. Hill designed the packaging, which features a gold Peranakan-style pattern and blossoming peonies in vibrant shades of pink.
Here, Hill gives us a peek into the detailed processes behind the creation of her eclectic works and her artistic journey.
How do you sift through all your inspirations and decide what makes it into a finished print?
I always begin with a hand-drawn sketch to help me piece together my ideas, which in turn are created using a mix of photography, illustration and hand-finished detailing. The overall printed artwork will be a multi-layered fusion of photos of architectural details and everyday life, still-life shots of curated vintage objects from my personal collection, and sometimes photos of my own illustrations. The final design tends to come together through symmetry and balance, with the images chosen for their subject matter, colours and cultural significance.
Take us through your mood board.
My physical mood board is a place where I can bring together the ideas which are constantly swirling around in my mind!
It’s a place where I can plan out my designs in stages, where I can pin inspirational images and list reminders to myself. I am a person who thinks “visually”, so I find it very helpful to look at an overall reference to what projects I have planned next. Not only is this incredibly cathartic but much needed, and I can’t live without it!
What are some things you can’t compromise on when making your pieces?
I like to use my own imagery, and it takes time to find the right pieces as many of my Asian “found objects” will be shipped here from all over the world! I then spend many weeks editing and piecing my images together to create one final printed artwork, which is often tweaked several times before I am 100 per cent happy with it.
Some of my prints also have a final layer of gold ink or foil added to them for an extra point of interest. A good chunk of my career was spent pre-computer, where we drew everything by hand, so I still love working this way and now mix this with my computer skills.
How do you think your artistic perspective might differ from someone who grew up in Singapore?
My work is based on my personal viewpoint: that of a foreigner who has lived and travelled in Asia for many years, but also that of an artist and graphic designer who has been exposed to Asian design elements from a young age. I grew up with well-travelled parents who are also designers and collectors. My grandfather, who used to travel to Hong Kong for business, would bring back beautiful ceramics, vases and little silk brocade boxes full of trinkets for my grandmother.
The differences in our perspectives often make for wonderful conversations. I find that some customers really enjoy my nostalgic take on the beautiful cultural elements from their home countries and the little references that remind them of their childhood—all playfully brought together with a contemporary feel. Some expatriate customers also buy my work as a “memento” to take with them as they embark on new adventures elsewhere.
How do your relationships with friends and customers inf luence your work?
These relationships mean everything to me. I am blessed to have supportive friends who have helped and continue to help me along the way. Everyone needs a sounding board; friends you can trust to give you good advice, support and constructive criticism.
What would you want people to feel when they look at your work?
Put simply, it would be a feeling of happiness—a recollection of fond memories made overseas or perhaps a feeling of calm and peaceful contentment, if it were one of my delicate and gentle pieces. I hope there would be a sense of curiosity, as the eye discovers new layers. Many customers mention that each time they look at my work, they often discover something new, a little detail that they haven’t seen before.