ARCHT. Designer, Illustrator & Artist
LOUISA SCHMOLKE
LOUISA SCHMOLKE
Hi Louisa! How did you first begin your career as an Architectural Designer, Illustrator & Artist?
Hey! I began my journey by studying Architecture at my university and finding that I liked to express my designs through hand drawing rather than using AutoCAD and other software programs. I always found that illustration and hand drawing supported my presentations and engaged the viewer for longer, which was exciting! At the beginning of 2020, I was moving to New York to continue my journey as an architect, but that’s when the pandemic hit. I was left unemployed and living with my parents in Scotland aged 25. This is when I decided to start my art business via my website and Instagram, sharing my paintings and drawings with everyone online. Eventually, it led me to earn a living through my art. I wanted to move to London to pursue my career further. I became an architectural illustrator at Foster + Partners and then onto a bid manager at Heatherwick Studio.
What sparked your interest In architectural design?
I was always interested in art from a young age, drawing, painting, etc, and I was told by many not to study art (I sometimes wish I had gone to art school, I often wonder what my style would have become there) and to study something like architecture instead as it's a vocational degree. I wasn't as interested in 'architecture' and buildings as my fellow coursemates, but I ended up finding my passion through drawing, designing, modeling, and finding my voice in my own style.
What messages do you aim to express through your artwork?
The grid of memories is my diary full of therapy and thoughts. I have always been fascinated by the idea of documenting through drawing and capturing what is going on in my brain onto paper. Drawn over the course of six months, being chipped at every other day, the final outcome is a product of my innate need to feel productive and my relentless need to remember as much as I can before I forget it. My intention was for the grid of memories to be experienced similarly to how I try to appreciate a painting in an art gallery by encouraging the viewer to engage and focus on the piece for a longer-than-average amount of time.
The "Grid"
The "Grid"
THE "GRID"
THE "GRID"
What sparked the idea of sketching out 3,000 memories?
It's incredibly beautiful, do you hope to continue this as a series?
I first drew grids when I started architecture school at 17, and I found it was a quick way to get my immediate ideas out of my brain. I created a grid of around 700 squares throughout my third year of university to almost illustrate my entire thought and design process. When I finished that grid in 2015, I just knew I wanted to do more of it, I didn't know for what reason, why, or when, but it ended up taking 7 years to begin my grid of 3024 squares when I was in transition between two jobs in London and taking a whole month off to see what I could achieve if I wasn't stuck behind a desk!
In what ways do you use visual design as a form of self-expression?
Photographer: Louisa Schmolke
The grid looks very rigid, structured, and organized, but it's the opposite. I am not particularly strategic with my art. I am more ad-hoc and on the spot, when I get a feeling, I want to get it down immediately, whether that be through my abstract paintings or into a tiny 2x2cm square. I have noticed I have thousands of ideas racing through my brain at once and I don't believe that anyone in particular is amazing, but that several spinning around each other are amazing as a collective. I think that's why my work will always be seen as a collection/taxonomy/grouping. I am not sure that's the best answer, but it's honest at least!
During the creative process, what does a typical day look like for you?
If I am being honest, the cost-of-living crisis and London living have kept me in a more traditional 9-6 job role. So a traditional day for me is waking up and doing this job and when I get home around 7 pm I might be able to begin some artwork and work until around midnight (this is what I did with my grid for several months). I work at the weekends on my art too! In an ideal world, I'd be able to support myself fully with my artwork and commit all my time to building and finding my style because I feel I haven't had enough time to do this since beginning my art career in 2020.
Looking ahead, what are your future goals and aspirations for your career?
I would love more time to develop my style. I don't even have a clue what it could be yet, but I know it could be good. If I had the time to develop my style then I know I would be able to fully support myself financially through my artwork, which would mean even more time to make the style better. It's a vicious cycle, but eventually, I need to begin it.
