About Helen - Artist
The Highlands and Island of the West Coast of Scotland have been my source of inspiration since 1988.
These rugged landscapes and seascapes, continually enhanced by the seasons and the weather, offer me a wealth of creative possibilities.
The coruscating light on water, juxtaposed with the deep, rich tones of a shadow are the things that I seek out and try to capture in my work.
The kaleidoscope of seasonal colour and light stimulate my artistic expression.
I often return to a favourite place to paint, inquisitively wondering what the light and the weather will present to me this time.
There's no better feeling than being out in the elements, chasing the light as it rushes across the landscape or sitting on an empty beach waiting patiently for the rain to stop and the sun to return from behind the clouds.
Drawing outside requires speed and sometimes strength, when battling with a drawing board against the wind. It keeps the marks alive and fresh, not laboured. Sometimes these paintings will be framed or used to inform a more finished work back in my studio.
I take a small selection of soft pastels, inks, a sketchbook and my camera with me. I often pick up a feather or stick to use with ink to sketch and record what catches my eye. Drawing is very important to me as it gives a deeper sense of place. Drawing allows the time to look, study and get to know the subject matter better than just taking a photograph.
Pastel has been my medium of choice for many years, as I love it’s immediacy, vibrancy and the fact the colour is applied with my finger tips. I build each painting up with layers of colour to give depth and richness.
My mixed media works begin by flowing acrylic inks onto dampened paper, allowing them to mix and split, giving unpredictable results. Once dry I work on top of this with pastel, combining areas of drawn line contrasting with more finished, worked areas.
Admirers of Helen's work have often commented on how the paintings make them feel transported to that place.
"You can take as many photos as you like, but the way Helen interprets the image in Pastel, adds an emotional depth."
Born in Cumbria, Helen moved to Scotland aged 7, and grew up in West Lothian.
She graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 1987 and studied at the Royal College of Art in London the following year.
She lives with her partner in Ratagan and has two grown up children.
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