Milou Stella

Our fifth artist was long-time collaborator and supporter of St Margaret’s House, Milou Stella.

Rooted in ancient folklore and storytelling, Milou’s artistic practice explores personal mythologies to challenge taboos inherent in defining who we are. Born out of her lived experience of ongoing fertility struggles as a queer migrant woman, Milou's painted and embroidered humorous characters are a way to question and examine ideas of identity and gender.

During her residency, Milou took every opportunity to explore and experiment; attempting new art forms, like animation, for the very first time. Engaging in conversations around fertility and queer identities with community groups and fertility networks, Milou ventured into this residency ready to create a full body of work that responded to the intersect of queerness and in/fertility. She also explores creating larger scale works: wearable sculptural hybrids using recycled textiles and mixed media work to reflect on her journey so far.

The three month residency culminated in an Open Studio week - an exciting and ambitious transformation of The Create Place, into a fine art, exhibition space.

The Open Studio Week commenced with an online screening of ‘The Elusive Good Egg’, an experimental hybrid film, showcasing Milou’s new animation skills, as well as a thoughtful conversation with Milou and her collaborators.

The week continued with various opportunities for connection with local communities, fellow queer people and those experienced with in/fertility - such as informal coffee mornings and drop in studio sessions.

Bringing the week to a close, Milou hosted the Open Studio Gallery events. Where our local community, press, and artists alike were invited into the Artist In residency studio to fully immerse themselves in the body of work that is ‘The Elusive Good Egg’.