Helen Millar

Biography

Helen graduated with a BA Hons Degree in Printed Textile Design at Leicester Polytechnic in 1983. She then worked as a freelance watercolour artist and was represented by the Francis Kyle Gallery in London. She participated in themed exhibitions one being Ten British Water-colourist’s 1987 which took place in Bilbao Fine Art Museum, Spain.

Helen then worked for GP and J Baker designing textiles for soft furnishings and wallpapers. She also worked as a freelance Textile designer for Sanderson and John Lewis. Helen exhibits regularly at the Cambridge Contemporary Art Gallery and recently exhibited in the Society of Botanical Artists Plantae Exhibition 2019 at the Mall Galleries in London.

Working from her home studio in rural Leicestershire Helen works with the seasons taking inspiration from natural objects such as leaves, flowers, branches and nests all found on daily walks and in her garden. Watercolour as a medium with its clarity and gentle merging of colour has an unpredictability, which she finds both challenging and exciting. Having worked as a textile designer, symmetry, colour, formality and repetition are part of the design process, which continues to be reflected in her work today. Helens work simply captures the natural beauty that nature provides.