b.1902 – 1994

Dame Louise, born Louise Etinnette Sidonie Sauze in Paris moved to New Zealand in the 1920s she spent the early part of her New Zealand life in Canterbury. She began her exhibiting experience, firstly with the short lived New Zealand Society of Artists (1933-34).

Forging a long standing artistic dialogue with John Weeks’ in 1948 when she first visited his studio. Moving to Auckland in 1950, where she attended classes at Elam School of Fine Arts and worked in his studio. Although never formally enrolled at the school this involvement lead to her building her own studio in her then Gillies Avenue home in Epson.

With further encouragement from Weeks Dame Louise travelled to Europe furthering her painting studies. Returning to New Zealand in 1953 her work enjoyed considerable exposure. She became one of only a handful of prominent 20th century woman artists in New Zealand.

Her work has enjoyed extensive exposure through exhibition nationally and internationally. Her talents as an artist have been celebrated nationally with large retrospective exhibitions held at Auckland City Art Gallery and Christchurch City Art Gallery. Her work is held in major collections and broadly published, particularly through her illustrative work with NZ school journals.