Inverse Painting

My name is Helena (Hele) and I am a British contemporary painter living in London. I've had a paintbrush in hand for most of my life (father is an artist), and in 2014 I graduated with First Class Honours from a Graphic Design degree at the University of the Arts London. It was here I discovered a love (verging on obsession) for the Constructivist movements of the 1920s including, Bauhaus and Suprematism, which has heavily influenced my work. Much to my tutor's dismay I barely touched a computer during my degree, instead favouring manual techniques like letterpress, collage and composition based painting. This was because I loved the imperfections that came with doing things by hand. Tiny marks and smudges just added to the tactile quality and one-offness of the pieces, making them impossible to reproduce and so much more interesting. I mostly use oil and acrylic paint, texturising it with anything from ash, to marble dust, to sand. Or I use heavy watercolour, pen and gouache when creating works on paper. My work aims to create a balanced, tranquil and grounding environment that interplays with the kinetic energy of the surface of the canvas. I do this through composition, texture and/or use of colour.