Louise Henderson – born French but married a Kiwi

Addington Workshops 1930

As you can see from the works I have included in this post, Henderson's artistic style changed over time.  I actually prefer her earlier works.

Louise Henderson was born in Paris in 1902.  She met a Kiwi teacher at an exhibition in Paris in 1920.  She married him in 1925 and moved to New Zealand.  She lived in Christchurch, then Wellington and lastly Auckland.

Portrait of Betty Curnow 1954

Henderson originally studied embroidery and lace making but became a mainstream contemporary artist.

She visited London in 1952 and then returned to Paris for the first time.

Garden 1977

As a result of her husband's work for UNESCO she spent several years in the Middle East.  They returned to New Zealand.  Her husband dies in 1963.

She marries again in 1986 – and settles in the Hokianga.

Louise Henderson photo by Marti Friedlander

In 1993 she became Dame Louise.  And dies the next year.

 

Thanks to the art book Louise Henderson From Life by Milburn, Strongman & Waite