Anna-Wili Highfield

​MEET PAPER ARTIST Anna-Wili Highfield whose dramatic, oftentimes ghostly, works capture the energy of animals in the wild. The daughter of a puppeteer, Anna-Wili studied fine art and worked as a Scenic Artist for Opera Australia before creating her own sculpture – painstakingly stitched together in archival cotton rag – for clients the likes of Hermes. Here, her current inspiration

Sydney-based artist Anna-Wili Highfield with her paper sculpture, Osprey 2015. Photo by Hugh Hamilton.

1. Spirit Animal: above left, Wolf 2015, paper sculpture by Highfield; right, the artist photographed by Shauna Greyerbiehl; and below, Swan 2015. artwork imagery by Silversalt Photography.

WHAT IGNITED YOUR LOVE OF SCULPTURE, AND HOW DID YOU COME TO START EXPLORING PAPER AS A MEDIUM?

1. As a young person I poured over books on Rodin and Bernini. I always painted, too. I think I create a very painterly form of sculpture. Perhaps paper was a way of uniting painting and sculpture.
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YOUR ARTISTIC VIEWPOINT IS ALL ABOUT... An attempt to create a living form through an economic use of material. A moment of contact with nature. An attempt to communicate a shared consciousness with the greater animal world.   What is your current inspiration and how do you love to explore your subject matter? It's always nature and creatures – I am preoccupied with monkeys at the moment. I’m set designing a musical for children set in the South East Asian jungle; a new experience for me.

As a mother, how do you nurture your children's creativity? Do you encourage them to have an early interest in the arts?

1. Motherhood gives you a great anchor and perspective from which to explore the world. Both Matilda and Claude are very creative, as are most kids. I’m very impressed with what they make. I guess I show them that you can have a life creating art. But I think my most active artistic influence is through bringing home films I love, and watching them with them.
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3. Your window work with Hermes last year was incredible – do you believe fashion is a form of art and how did you marry your own work with the savoir-faire of the luxury french house?

4. Fashion is absolutely a form of art. It's a great privilege to make pieces for Hermés. I don't really think too much about the style of Hermés, but rather just do the best job I can and that seems to work. I have a great relationship with the [Visual Merchandiser] for Hermés Australia and I often work with the idea of pleasing him in mind. If I please him then I tend to please the greater Hermés community.
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6. Lastly, how do you pamper yourself at the end of a busy week on the go?

7. I swim at least every second day in an ocean pool. The coast makes Sydney so magical.

 

Hermés Australia is celebrating the launch of its creative window display for 2016 by renowned artist Gwon Osang. The windows will be unveiled on Friday 26th August at 6pm, at the Hermés Sydney store, 135 Elizabeth Street, Sydney.