Faraway II

Painting 2 of a triptych. This painting can be displayed as a standalone or as a triptych with Faraway I and III
I have loved banana plants since my first visit to Bermuda as a student. I was immediately captivated by the lush subtropical growth of the island, which subsequently consumed me creatively for years. After uni in wet and grey Manchester in the north of England, the island was truly a visual paradise.

I spent many hours during my early career painting banana plants in my in-law's garden and the hidden banana patches around the island. Sitting amongst these lush green spaces was a sanctuary with only the feral chickens, kiskadees and red cardinals to keep me company.

When I started my year-long residency at a local flower farm in May 2023 I was delighted by a row of enormous bananas. I spent my first 6 months at the farm drawing and painting the landscape and flowers, always aware the bananas would feature eventually.

My banana pieces are about me coming full circle, returning to the flora I have always loved, and transporting me back to another time and another place. There has been a major shift in scale, my early works were no bigger than 9cm square and now are up to 120x120cm.

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Helen has been a practising artist since completing an MA in Textiles at Manchester Metropolitan University. She is a full-time artist and tutor, working and teaching from her purpose-built studio set on 9 rural acres in Cedar Creek, northside of Brisbane.She lived and worked in Bermuda for many years before settling in SE Queensland. Her work has been shown in group and solo exhibitions in the USA, Canada, The Caribbean, the UK, Bermuda, Europe, Russia and Australia, it can be found in private, corporate and public collections.

Helen's art is bursting with exuberant colour and texture realised in acrylic on board.Her work begins with observational drawings on location developed into lushly layered paintings in the studio. Her work explores genius loci, seeking to find echoes and connections to other places and spaces. Her love of landscape and gardens nurtures ancestral connection and is a central theme of her practice. Her textile training is evident in the marks, pattern, texture and colour of her work.

She completed a year-long artist-in-residence at a local flower farm in May 2024. Her time at the farm produced a major body of work of plein air landscapes and botnical studio paintings. She spent the year drawing and painting on location. Her drawings were developed into richly textured paintings in the studio.

Helen's practice is realised in acrylic on ply. The majority of her work is finished with 3 coats of gloss medium. This enhances the complex layers of paint and colour in the work. If you would like a stain finish please message Helen and she can apply a soft wax to render a satin finish.