Meet Louise Bane | Artist & Baker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Louise Bane and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Louise, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Being creative has always been apart of my life. In my earliest memory I remember colors. I have a vivid memory of the color the sweater the woman bathing me was wearing. It was yellow and I thought it was a ugly shade of yellow. When I looked back at the picture I was only months old, very young still a baby even. My parents always found ways to encourage and support our artistic journeys. Really anything we wanted to do they believed we could do it. Growing up i found myself turning to art all the time. When was upset it calmed me down, sad it made me happy, confused it made me see things clearly. Art interwoven in my DNA, it’s apart of me. So an artistic career only makes since.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started my artistic journey with a love for clay. In school i enjoyed creating pinch pots, coil sculptures and other tabletop works in ceramics. A couple years after I graduated I married the love of my life Aaron. Then i took a brief break from my artlife to be a housewife. That didn’t last long because my desire to create was too strong! So I used my sculptural skill and passion for baking to operate a thriving custom cake business called WeezieCakes. My mission in my mom’s words ” it better taste as good as it looks”. Lol! Then, 14 years later a life shattering event stopped me in my tracks!! My father Charlie Harris passed away June 2021. Now merely creating unique artistic cakes couldn’t satisfy my broken heart. By this time i took a detour to help run my family’s business. A local auto business that happens to be the only all female black owned business of its kind in the county. My sister Charlee was in the process of turning our unused front showroom into an art gallery and market. This renovation was not only a welcomed distraction but got me thinking about art again. My sister Charisse has her Masters in fine art encouraged and mentored me. I got to work, creating, experimenting and sometimes failing until my skill in detailed sculpting grew, so did my content. My current artistic process uses the senses to explore emotion through life size bas reliefs on canvas. I casts real body parts of myself and other subjects in plaster cast then i affixe the completed casts to canvas to capture emotions, movement, and moments in time.
Color is an important element that adds emphasis to my pieces. My art is often reflective in nature, capturing those quiet instances of introspection. I love how creating art and sharing it has helped me to open up. This vulnerablity has been challenging but healing. I have learned that when i create every fail helps me endure and every success builds my confidence so I’ll never stop creating. I look forward to continuing to develop and further my artworks, spending time with family, and for collaborations with other community focused organizations in the area.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a bit of a home body but I’ll do my best!! Of course, we would check out the East Ave Gallery and meet my Family!
I would introduce them to my friends at Summit Art Space. Stephanie Stewart, Jessica Skinner, Robert Grier and my art teacher Susan Yingling. They also have excellent exhibit there.

Meet some exciting members of Akron Black Artist Guild: Dara Harper, Diane Johnson

I would take them to eat at my different family’s houses they are great cooks

I hear there are great restaurants downtown so we could test them out together
There is always a great show at Weathervane Theater

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family! Nothing I do would be possible without the love, support and encouragement of my family. They are my number one fans and most of the reasons why I have the confidence to create!!

Website: We-z-cakes.com

Instagram: @Weeziecakes

Facebook: LouHarrisBane

Image Credits
Aaron Bane, Charlee Harris, Chareal Harris, Charisse Harris