CELF gallery

Experience and the Triumph of Hope

At eighteen years old and embarking on my art education I had absolutely no experience to inform my art practice. My sheltered country upbringing was largely uneventful. Now, some 50 years later, I do have something to say.

Our own stories are unique and at the same time we each follow recognised patterns. In my case some travel, marriage, motherhood, caring, widowhood. Throw into the mix a pandemic which we all experienced, and cancer, which many of us will experience. We will all have tales to tell by the time we reach our sixth decade.

For many just waking each day is an achievement. We go to sleep in the hope that we’ll open our eyes the next morning, the sun will rise, we will interact with the world. Closing our eyes each night is an act of faith.

These paintings and drawings are about life and ageing and how that can be an enriching experience. We each live outwardly conforming to societal norms but we all experience life internally as individuals. Our inner life is where we sort out our problems and dream about how our lives are or could be. This series of works illustrate my inner world where chaos can reign, happiness abound and where problems are solved or remain an anxiety. The paintings are abstract in nature but evoke icons, maps and the human being at an almost cellular and visceral level.

Abstract art gives us freedom to interpret the work for ourselves. We bring to it our own thoughts and imagination. Once a title is attached to a painting we are led down a path prepared by the artist. Some of these works do have titles and are a response to a poem or something of interest to me. They are still open to interpretation by the onlooker. The untitled ones are an invitation to reflection and are open to any interpretation the viewer may like to make.

Helen Job

Curated by Jonathan Le Vay