Pussycat

Louise Robertson is an artist working through Yarrenyty Arltere Artists who has attracted acclaim for her soft whimsical sculptures of human figures and animals. Robertson first came into the art centre to see the work of her mother-in-law, Dulcie Sharpe, who proceeded to show Robertson how to sew. She now excels at producing soft sculpture characters that reflect her experiences of living in Mparntwe/Alice Springs, with her artworks taking on the personalities and likenesses of her friends and family, and the birds and animals she encounters in Country. Vibrant and comical, Robertson’s works highlight the artist’s desire to find and celebrate joy in our everyday lives.

Yarrenyty Arltere is located in Larapinta Valley Town Camp in Mparntwe and works with predominantly Western Aranda and Luritja artists. Central to the practice of the artists working at the centre is soft sculptures, which are crafted from recycled woollen blankets, dyed in local Arrernte bush plants and rusted pieces of metal. The artists then use the dyed blankets as the base material for their innovative forms, that take the shape of figures and animals that can be encountered in the desert, but also creates and people who are drawn from their imaginations. Each artist embellishes their work with unique stitching and decoration, such as feathers, beads, or sculptural elements, giving their artworks character and imbuing them with energy and playfulness.

The diversity of practice within Yarrenyty Arltere Artists includes animations and short films. Using cinematic awareness, Robertson has sculpted Pussycat with a sense of movement. The cat is poised mid movement, its swishing tail raised, and its cheeky face encouraging future pats.