Mythical Wonders with Lou Benesch
Lou Benesch’s watercolour illustrations invite us into a vivid, dream-like world of mythical creatures and majestic characters.
Words: Cardia Speziale I Photography: Arnaud Giacomini
‘I love the open-ended aspect of art, the fact that there is always somewhere to go, places to explore in my imagination, stories to create and tell,’ says Lou Benesch.
Sun Horse by Lou Benesch.
Midnight Tide by Lou Benesch.
‘[I find inspiration] anywhere I can find beauty! Whether it is by sitting in my garden, or diving into a book of fairytales, pictures of Leonora Carrington’s work, listening to a cherished album...’ says Lou Benesch
A butterfly-winged cobra snake, bow-tied dragon, and blind-folded bird-woman — these are just some of the otherworldly creatures from the art and brilliant mind of Lou Benesch. Working from her studio in the French countryside, Lou uses her watercolour creations for fantastical storytelling of the past, inspired by her love of folklore, nature, literature, and music.
Growing up in a family where artistic expression was never far to be found, Lou discovered from an early age that she could invent stories through imagery, and would experiment with emulating her favourite picture books and films. Leaving France at nineteen to study art in Brussles, Lou’s love of her craft soon evolved into the main focus of her life and work.
‘I think creativity ebbs and flows throughout our life, but I am lucky enough to be able to never find myself too far from the source,’ says Lou. ‘It’s something I need to feed constantly, and keeping a close connection to nature really nourishes my imagination and drive to create,’ she adds.
With a deep connection to narrative, it’s not surprising that Lou’s artistic process begins with writing, rather than sketching, as she reflects on memories from her own vivid dreams, childhood, or philosophical ideas.
‘Whether it’s for a client or for a personal project, I like to take the time to search for inspiration by studying my subject through books, art, movies or any creative resource — and allowing my mind to wonder as far as it requires,’ shares Lou. ‘During this process, I will sketch things that are quite abstract, like a few lines for a composition, but I’ll mainly write down ideas and trust that my brain will be able to give them a shape as I start drawing my final piece.’
A quick glance at Lou’s work is never just that — the viewer is instantly drawn into a world of imagination and colour. Borrowing some concepts from folk tales and ancient mythology, and ideating others as her own personal guardians and messengers, Lou’s hope is that her illustrations will “wake up” people’s sense of wonder.
‘Creatures, with their shapes, expressions, and attitudes can sometimes help me say much more than words can,’ she says. ‘Assembling these elements is a way for me to create a new world and offer it to the viewer as a place where they can let their imagination run free.’
Coming up this year, Lou will be releasing new collection of work for an exhibition at Hashimoto Contemporary, in Los Angeles. She will also be collaborating with Cartomancer Laetita Barbier on a bespoke deck of Tarot cards, which we cannot wait to get our hands on!
Golden Spines by Lou Benesch.
‘Some of them are borrowed from folk tales and ancient myths and some I’ve invented as personal guardians and messengers,’ says Lou Benesch
“I’ve been inventing but also studying and collecting tales about creatures from all over the world for many years and each of them has the potential to inspire different ideas, symbols and emotions.”
