Down by the River's edge

Reminiscent of lazy afternoons spent on the banks of a nearby river. Sitting on the rocks warming under the summer sun, the reeds poking out from the shallow waters providing a haven for dragonflies and other insects and tadpoles. We dip our toes into the cool water, offering a welcome break from the heat…a little smile and a quick flick of water at each other soon turns into a frenzy of splashing, a scramble to stand up first and a playful push into the water.

Medium: Acrylic, Pen and Gesso on Paper

Size: A4 Unframed

Year: 2022

About the artist

Helen was raised in country NSW and maintain a strong emotional connection to rural landscapes. She loves wandering on the family farm collecting discarded objects such as wire, mesh and hessian, which add layers and texture to her artwork. Her work incorporates a variety of mixed media, mostly on canvas using oils, acrylics, pastel, spray paint, charcoal, sand and collage. The process of adding layers of paint or through collage, then rubbing, using a blow torch, scraping, scratching and mark-making, produce a feeling of grounding to her. This allows her to open up to emotions, vulnerabilities, resilience and strengths which contribute to her work’s unique characteristics.