Solstice: Helen Cowans

I'm very excited to introduce a guest blog from Helen, a wonderful textile artist from Northumbria. I love her work and this piece makes my heart sing, having this view at the bottom of her garden must be so inspirational!

This piece of work “Solstice” was created around a photograph I took 2 years ago just at the back of my garden. I used the picture for Solstice greeting cards that year.

I love being able to incorporate my photographs into my textiles (using treated fabrics and archival inks) and I love using silks and velvets as I’ve used in this piece. I love the textures and the rich, deep colours.

I’ve always loved nature (I studied Biology at University) and I love to follow the seasons. I’ve long had an interest in monuments such as Stonehenge and Avebury and have spent many hours hunting for stone circles in obscure places and walking to hillforts.

More recently I’ve been incorporating Mother Goddess and Rock Art images (http://www.helencowans.co.uk/#/goddesses/4543497676) into my work – and there are more of these to come; Goddesses as the seasons, both in 3D and as wall pieces and more abstract art based on ancient monuments. So far I have the sketches and need to get them created. They’ll be exhibited at the Loch Lomond Quilt Show in 2012 (http://www.lochlomondquiltshow.com/).

For me the solstice times are very special. Though I feel more empathy with the Winter Solstice – as this is the time when the light and sun returns. The Summer solstice is not such a happy time for me as it means we are heading back into darker days and the wheel of the year is turning, ultimately, toward Winter.

I’ve been working in textiles for 10 years now; I went to college one day a week to learn C&G embroidery when my son was a year old and its taken over! I now teach and lecture and have my first solo exhibition this month at Paxton House near Berwick upon Tweed. http://www.helencowans.co.uk/#/exhibition/4552050344

Helen

If, like me, you can't wait to see more of Helen's work her web site is www.helencowans.co.uk and her blog is www.textilegoddess.blogspot.com

Thanks Helen