Helen Jones draws large-scale work, using the natural world and the tempestuous relationship of the elements as her inspiration. The images are often unsettling and awe-inspiring – even making the observer feel fearful.
“I always wanted to be an artist, but the pathway to achieving that was a difficult one,” says Helen. “After starting my career and then having two children, I managed to get back into art. I did several part time courses at Windmill Hill City Farm and the RWA on Queen’s Road, and then completed a degree in drawing at Bower Ashton, UWE’s creative arts campus, in 2010.”
It was during her degree that Helen really found her feet as an artist. “Bower Ashton was an amazing place to study, on the edge of this great city but surrounded by beautiful countryside,” she says. “For budding creatives, it had the best of both worlds. It was crucial to my creative development, confidence, and love of the vast scope of the art world. It really did change me forever.”
Having lived in South Bristol since 1995, Helen is very much embedded in the city. She has a studio at BV Studios, Bedminster, where she produces much of her art, and also teaches art in several educational settings across the city, sharing her knowledge with others.
Helen’s practice generally begins with the application of pastels to tracing paper, smoothing and smudging the marks with her hands. “I then remove the pigment with pencil erasers and abrasive materials,” she continues. “I do this over and over to build up a complex and layered tonal image.”