Visit

 

Between 17th May and 1st June 2008, the annual Norfolk Open Studios event offers the chance to step into the often-unseen working world of Norfolk artists as their studio doors are thrown open to the public. Ideal if you want to find out more about what moves and motivates the artist, commission a piece or simply explore and enjoy the variety of wonderful art that is being produced in Norfolk today, Norfolk Open Studios is both a delight and an education rolled into one.

One artist participating in this happening is Helen Herbert, who has been painting from her Sheringham-based studio for the last decade. However, Helen’s artistic career started some time before; during her four years at the Cambridge School of Art Helen’s portraiture won the Anna Airey Awards for the Under 25’s. She was also selected by Edward Bawden (the renowned British artist who, along with the Great Bardfield Artists, may well have popularised ‘Open Studio’ events when they organised ‘open house’ exhibitions during the 1950’s, which offered the novelty of viewing art works in the artists own homes) as the best student in drawing and printmaking in the school. From her final student’s show she began a successful career in children’s book illustration, which spanned some fifteen years. Helen indulged her love of painting throughout and in 1998 eventually withdrew from illustrating to dedicate more time to her primary passion.

 

 

Aug 07 Feature

Nowadays, Helen endeavours to paint every morning. She says that she is “an observer of people and places” who is particularly interested in “the relationship between individuals and their surroundings”. Through her striking and colourful oils, Helen strives to capture “the atmosphere, mood and connection between the sea, sky and people”. Like all true artists, the inspiration for Helen’s work varies depending on what is exciting her creative juices at that time. Currently, she tells me she is “intrigued by dark against light” and the work that she is currently producing is an exploration of this idea.

 

 

Helen’s Studio - a beautifully light space at the bottom of her garden - is, pleasingly, exactly as you’d imagine a working artists’ studio to be - work in progress on the easel, brushes and painting paraphernalia throughout and with numerous finished works and inspiring artefacts adorning the walls. There is a place for a live model to recline (Helen and some fellow artists often paint together, which she says, may be in the comfort of the Studio, but has also been on top of Sheringham’s cliffs in a moderate gale - sandy grains fused into the oil of some landscapes are testament to this fact), and Helen’s desk offers a rare insight into the inspiration for some of her work - notebooks filled with sketched figures and swatches of colour assist memory for future works.

 

 

The back room at Helen’s Studio contains shelves of paintings from previous ‘periods’ of inspiration, not now displayed as Helen’s motivation has moved on. Though reluctant, Helen might show you some of these if you ask nicely - after all, each piece of her work is part of the journey that has led to what she paints today.

Aside from getting a feel for what motivates Helen in her art by seeing her Studio, being able to talk to her about her work is truly the best part of the whole ‘Open Studio’ concept. Passionate and happy to talk about the detail, location and inspiration behind each painting, meeting Helen is a fascinating and interactive way to experience her art that offers so much more than you get from just seeing paintings hung in a gallery.

 

 

The Studio (Helen Herbert).

23 Holt Road, Sheringham, Norfolk, NR26 8NB.

Tel: 01263 82133.

e: helenherbert@btopenworld.com

www.helenherbert.com

 

| EnjoyMent Privilege Cardholders qualify for a five per cent reduction off Helen's work with an EnjoyMent Card. |