Still Life Collection Launch
Ode to Charlotte series of original work
After months of experimenting and having fun with colours, here is a little studio announcement which I hope will brighten up your day!
I am launching my still life collection!!!
Still life has always been a favourite of mine. The subject matter allows for a really fun play with colours. So if you’re on the lookout for some colourful combinations which may include a coffee pot, an orange or several, a lemon or several, striped table clothes or gingham linen, maybe a book, a candle, some blooms, or maybe some spectacles, do stop by!!
Each piece includes a little earth pigment from Filey Beach
While staying in Filey a few weeks back, we found a house Charlotte Brontë stayed in. During that holiday while painting the scenery, I had Charlotte on my mind, her life, her creativity, her relationship with her sisters and their creativity. There is such drama in the landscape there, especially with a very real threat of coastal erosion. The drama of the Filey coastline seems to remember Charlotte too. While walking on the Filey beach, I came across some beautiful ochre pigments and collected a small amount to bring them back home, with in mind to create some watercolour and oil paint from it in my newly designed pigment studio.
Upon our return back home, I immediately got to work, downloaded Jane Eyre (written by Charlotte Brontë) on Audible and created the still life collection while listening to each chapter. It was an incredible time. I was completely in flow state, each paint stroke inspired by Charlotte’s words. The colours and shapes flowing out of me so naturally!
Once I had the base colours down, I crushed and mulled the ochre pigments into watercolours and oil paints and added to each of the pieces a little bit of Filey ochre watercolour or oil paints. Now, each of the paper pieces has a little bit of Filey beach on it.
Visiting Haworth and the Brontë parsonage
As a birthday treat, this week I visited the Brontë parsonage here in Yorkshire and was very moved by the family’s objects and relics. Such imagination and play! Also having very bad eyesight myself, I couldn’t help but notice how small Charlotte’s surviving spectacles were (are still). As an extra homage to her, one of the pieces in my collection has her little glasses. Maybe you’ll spot them!?
Thanks so much for your support and encouragement, special shout out to anyone who asked if I sold my art, that was an extra special boost! Also HIGH FIVE to the Time Foragers’ Club members and Founding members who help to make this possible, paying me to do my research and buy materials and experiment. I couldn’t have done this without you!! xxx
Ode to Charlotte
A collection of paper and canvas originals by Helen C Stark
Launching: Saturday 24th May - noon BST
There will be quite a few originals on paper size A5 and a few on canvas too.
Every piece will be on my website to purchase. Shipping worldwide.
Such beautiful art and what a lovely tribute to Charlotte! She was an amazing artist herself, even with dim eyes. She wrote a lot of JANE EYRE sitting beside her father for several weeks while he recovered from a cataract operation (a very new procedure and done without anesthetic!). All 4 children (Charlotte, Branwell, Anne and Emily) were excellent artists. They would love your work!
Congratulations on selling all your paintings. They are really amazing. I would have loved one too, I really enjoy your user of colors and your style. I like reading your insights too. Greetings from Finland. :)