A moment with our artist

Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki is the talented artist behind our inspiring UooUoo sculpture, Forest Turtle.

“The inspiration came from an illustration I did a few years back. Imagining a layered story was the first step in seeing where the design would go. The title gives the UooUoo its own identity and the story it carries, another. It is an open-ended narrative so that the viewer can create their own story, looking at where the small fox is travelling, and what can happen, is only limited by the viewer’s imagination.”

The RCH150 Anniversary Art Trail has seen 100 gifted artists create 100 UooUoo sculptures, located across Geelong and Melbourne. When the event concludes in late March, the UooUoo sculptures will be auctioned to raise funds for paediatric healthcare. We asked Luisa what it was like to participate in this amazing event.

“Participating in this has been a wonderful experience and allowed me to be creative and to be a part of a fantastic cause. The RCH is a special place that takes care of our most vulnerable children and I am proud that I am a part of this.”

It was fitting that Luisa created the design for our UooUoo, having attended The Gordon in 2017 to study a TAE in Training and Education. Having previously studied Fine Art at RMIT, this qualification has allowed Luisa to focus on moving into creative arts in an educational role. Presently Luisa is a Visual Arts Trainer at Oxygen College in Geelong. 

“This involves delivering course work, which includes painting, printmaking, and drawing to name a few. I teach part and full-time students with Oxygen College, which offers a Professional Artists program in Visual Arts. I also continue to illustrate for books, most recently a book by Alistair Lawson titled My Hero (published by Brolga publishing), private clients, and am also creating artworks for personal projects.” 

Following her studies at RMIT, Luisa moved into book illustration, and continued to create and exhibit artwork while working and teaching in Japan for 13 years. After returning to Australia, Luisa continued to work as an illustrator for children’s books. A rewarding career, Luisa has experienced several highlights. 

“Always allowing space for creative practice has allowed me to work on various projects. A highlight being exhibitions in Japan, becoming a published book illustrator, and now being in a career which allows for creativity and helping others find theirs.”

To see Luisa’s creation, Forest Turtle, grab your walking shoes and head to the Pivot City Innovation District at the Federal Mills in North Geelong. You can find the location of our UooUoo and others here. Or download the free Me and UooUoo 2021 App on Google Play or at the Apple store.