Photography: Anna Briggs
After nearly three decades in other industries, Alison Leauanae found herself returning to the world of art. The Wellington-based artist hand-stitches and weaves thoughtful and intricate works filled with rich meaning.
Tell us about your creative journey so far.
There’s so much I’m still learning about my practice and where I would like to be. I decided in high school not to pursue the visual arts because I had other options and didn’t know if I could really make it work.
My creativity was nurtured at home, surrounded by contemporary artwork produced by family members, and l learned skills in making, painting and drawing, and I developed a love for books and writing.
After nearly 30 years of other pursuits, I’m in catch-up mode. Not in the sense of chasing anything, rather that time is short to flesh out all that I want to in this space. I’m grateful to close friends in the arts community who encouraged me to step out and provided opportunities to exhibit my works alongside amazing artists. I’m enjoying this steep learning curve as I work to refine my skills.
What inspired you to make the move from business to art?
My husband and I moved to Wellington from Auckland a few years ago, providing the opportunity to consider a change in focus. He encouraged me to take time to decide what I wanted to do, and I naturally started to create again. Something I had in the background for years came into focus and provided a renewed lease of life. I’m forever grateful to him for his unconditional support that enables me to do what I love.
How long does a piece typically take?
Much depends upon the complexity and size of the piece. Recent works have ranged from 25 hours of stitching in a smaller piece to over 120 hours of stitching for my larger works, usually spread over several weeks, as much as possible to manage the strain on the body. Although when I get on a roll, all discipline goes out the window.
What does the perfect day of creating look like to you?
The sun shining as I’m perched in my upstairs studio looking out to the hills behind our home, and ideas I’ve been working on for days, weeks and months, finally coming together seamlessly. Being in the flow of my work while contemplating life’s challenges.
So much of your art focuses on incredible colour combinations. Does the colour palette come naturally, or is it planned?
There is definitely a natural affinity to colour, influenced hugely by the colours and vibrancy you experience as you travel through villages in Samoa. You see it in the vegetation, houses, village buses, school uniforms – there is a sense of how colour makes you feel and connects to memory.
Colour bias can keep us drawn to the same combinations, so I produced a 120-piece work entitled Plaid Pua based on 120 three-colour combinations (developed by Japanese artist Sanzo Wada) that helped challenge this to an extent. I would say that I am intentional in my choice of colour depending on what feeling I’d like to convey in the works.
How do you decide when not to use colour?
In the same way, the use of bold colour can provoke strong emotions, and the absence of colour can provide a sense of calm and thoughtful contemplation. I have a series of monochrome works that seek to do just that.
Themes of identity, nostalgia and ancestral migration come through beautifully in so many of your artworks. Have they always been a thread in your artistic journey, or does the medium encourage them?
I believe life is about connection, which informs so much about who we are as individuals. We are the sum part of all who have gone before us; their challenges and triumphs influence who we are here and now and what we believe is possible in the future. These themes will continue to be central to my work because there is nothing I have achieved or will achieve without acknowledging that my journey doesn’t exist without theirs. My choice of medium has been informed by this central idea.
What do you love most about your medium?
The repetitive nature of my practice is both meditative and therapeutic for me. It provides a space for quiet contemplation about life’s challenges. I solve a lot of the world’s problems while doing my work.
Is there a collection or particular artwork that you have a particular love for?
My Plaid Pua work was my first big undertaking. It represents two sides of my heritage (Samoan and Scottish) and informs so much of my practice.
What do you have coming up for your art?
I’m exhibiting at the Bergman Gallery Art Fair in Auckland in March and have a solo exhibition at Porirua’s Pātaka Art + Museum’s Toi Gallery in September.
How can our readers find you and your work?
I’m represented by Bergman Gallery in Auckland, with work available in their stockroom and opportunities to show through the gallery. You can also find me on Instagram @alison_leauanae.
