Louise Frances Smith - Defence (oyster shell structure) no.1

Louise Frances Smith MRSS lives and works in Ramsgate, Kent (UK). Her practice spans sculpture, installation and works on paper. Working with an array of materials including clay, seaweed and bioplastic, Smith creates highly textured surfaces to bring attention to the patterns and textures created by nature, magnifying micro details alongside man-made interventions. By collecting materials from her local coastline to use as materials in her work, Smith’s works are conceptually and physically linked to her local landscape where she takes her inspiration.

Defence (oyster shell structure) no.1 by Louise Frances Smith is a sculptural work composed of cast forms made from locally sourced oyster shells. She washes, cookes, crushes, and blends these shells into a bio-composite using alginate and water. The two end sections are wrapped in algae yarn dyed with a light-sensitive pigment that will gradually shift to olive and brown hues, embedding transformation and impermanence into the work’s material life. Rooted in principles of sustainability and inspired by marine biofouling, the piece reflects a deep engagement with natural processes, hand-making, and ecological time.

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