Artist’s statement

Oils and charcoals are my go to materials, sometimes using only oil as a thinner or even without thinner and painting with dry brush or palette knife.  Other tools are involved often, such as the side of my hand, ends of my fingers or thumbs, a trusty kebab stick or a bamboo carved to a nib.  Cardboard serves me as a great as a pre-emptor to the canvas or now I work on gessoboard or aluminium, loving the risk of the paint sliding over the metal and allowing the light through. 

I always start my work in the flesh ie en plein aire in the case of land/seascapes, and prefer to work with the model from life initially, then take hundreds of photos or video.  Charcoal sketches get my eye in and layout the composition, then I graduate to oil sketches, then the final piece.  Working on large scale is my preferred style, and I enjoy the gestural aspect of painting in large, seeing it as a dance with paint, and often there is music playing in the background that the chorus will be performing, this is frequently an influence in the artwork. 

CV

I have painted since I could operate a brush and cannot help but respond to my environment in my work.  My work can be found at the homes of UN advisors, TV presenters and across the world.  I have been pre-selected for the Royal Society of Portrait painters 3 times now, and the Royal Society of Marine Painters twice, and 2 of my most recent paintings were selected not hung for the Royal Academy Summer show.  My foundation was at Carlisle College of Art and then later graduating from Goldsmith’s with an honours degree in Fine Art (studio practice) & Art History. My work was recently included in an on-line exhibition with the Jack Fischer Gallery, San Francisco.

I have taken part in many Open Studios over the years, and exhibited at a dozen or so galleries as I move about the country, Scotland, Cornwall, Cumbria, and Kent.  Now I have settled in Dorset. 

On-line

Digitally my work can be seen with LondonArt.co.uk, and

Artists&Illustrators/portfolio/helenmenges.com

2024

2023 Selected for Juried Exhibition with Jack Fischer Gallery, San Fransisco

2022​ ​Shortlisted for Royal Society of Portrait painters for “The Psychiatrist”

2022​ ​Selected not hung: RA Summer Show  “Calm before the storm” and 

“Fiery Sky at Annan”

2019​​ Shortlisted for Royal Society of Portrait Painters

2017 Shortlisted for Royal Society of Marine Painters

Commissions

2022​​    Completed and delivered commission for private client for portrait of “Father”

2022​​    Commission for private client for “Property” portrait

2021​​    Complete and delivered commission for private client for portrait “The Psychiatrist”

2020​​    Completed and delivered commission for private client portrait

Exhibitions

2024 Walford Mill Open Art Exhibition “Home”

2023 Connected” exhibition at Fisherton Mill

2023 Sherborne Open Art Exhibition

2022    Art2Life on line juried show judged by the Jack Fischer Gallery

2018    Commission for International Private client “Wilsley Tree painting”

​​2017    South East Open Studios (SEOS)

2016    Women Painting Women exhibition and discussion evening, Jessops Farm Gallery

2015    South East Open Studios

2014    The New Gallery Portscatho, Cornwall

2014    Upfront Gallery Penrith Cumbria

2012    SEOS

2010    Eden Valley Arts Tophoto Gallery, Edenbridge exhibition

2008    Chiddingstone Castle group 2007 Exhibition

2008    Watstock Farm Group Exhibition

2007    SEOS

2006    SEOS

2004    SEOS

2004   Lowood Exhibition, Armathwaite, Cumbria

2003    SEOS

2002    SEOS

1996    Port Gaverne Hotel, Nr Wadebridge, Cornwall

1994    Keswick Museum Exhibition

Media

2010 I painted a mural which featured in Build a new home in the Country - Channel 4, and have appeared in County newspapers a handful of times. see it here: https://youtu.be/tO7yncrXKso