Past work and its history

Title:

2005 Courage to Love

Location:

Cockatoo Gallery STUDIO - 13 Phillimore st Fremantle WA

Date:

2005/09/06

Description:

Opening entertainment provided by the incredible "Cuarteto Farol" (The Streetlamp Tango Band) "stirring and full of love with that Latin flair".

Parking is available opposite the building

Hours for the Phillimore studio during this exhibition are:-

Tues & Wed - 10am to 6pm, Thurs - 2pm to 8pm, Sat & Sun - 10am to 7pm, By appointment only Mon & Frid
by telephoning 08 9335 5152 (our Market st Fremantle which is open 7 days a week)

proudly sponsored by
Kailis Pearls and Goundrey Wines

SCROLL DOWN FOR IMAGES

* PLEASE NOTE
from 15-3-05 to 20-4-05 part of this show was at Commerford Gallery 16 McLachlan ave Rushcutters Bay Sydney .

As the nature of Helen's work is narrative, there needs to be a consistency of the story kept in place. Some major originals have been sold and cannot be shown in Perth. The artist has agreed to release some of these works as Limited Editions Canvas Reproductions - which will keep the story complete. New works not seen in Sydney will be added to the Fremantle show.

REFLECTIONS ON THE NARRATIVE
"The content or theme of the show is very much inspired by the work in which I have been involved as part of my course of study for my Masters Degree in Analytical Psychology (Depth Psychology). For me that has involved a large amount of time spent consciously soul making, while studying mythology, working with dreams, complexes, the amazing world of imagination and my experiences in all of those things. Some of the work looks at the way the mythology of the 'holy grail' might be perceived in the context of the union of masculine and feminine within ourselves and our relationships. The grails potential meaning being more than just the need to become more in tune with the 'sacred feminine' or 'goddess' aspects of our selves and our world, but heading towards 'relationship' as being the point. That relationship within our own body and psyche and that with others close to us and radiating out to our way of relating to our entire world and the communities within it as a 'body and psyche''.

There must be some point to the simple and uncomplicated common sense notion that there can be no 'creation' and thus no ongoing life without the union (not blending and blurring - but coming together with their differences) of 'the opposites'. In a human relationship context that would indicate an active and passive principle or male and female as being the point to life. Despite our confusion, this is a simple one. That context can also apply to the inner qualities of masculine and feminine within the individual as much as it applies to the push and pull of nature and politics. The context just keeps repeating itself, in and out! It is one of those undeniable and inescapable truths. Surely something firm to grasp in an illusory world.

Certain symbols came to me in dreams and from that point my curiosity was spurred on to look more deeply into what the 'symbol' of the blood in the cup might mean as my dreams had presented it to me. It was a long way from a cold cup of dreams, a mysterious or theoretical quest for gold or a possibly ludicrous search for royal blood considering our innate and very truthful tendency for secret affairs and lying despite our claims of purity! Once we come to terms with the truth of our behaviour and accept that, we can quickly rule out any point to that search as being of any particular use other than a bit of hairy gossip.

The journey through these works is a psychological trek, which one may like to just walk through without my 'interpretations'. For me it was a process of finding my way to a richer meaning in my daily life, relationships and its 'events' (the domesticity turned into ancient Greek and worldly epics). As such I could find archetypal patterns and meaning to this strange thing of human behaviour that is always fascinating me. All by using the tools of the imagination and observation of my own presence in the here and now - so by the end of it we may feel more connected to the epic of humanity! It is I suppose a sense of feeling ones connection to the greater pull of eternal patterns but then being more sympathetic to these influences among us as human beings. Some may say they 'found God' at this point, to help them become more 'compassionate' towards themselves and others, and through that 'greater understanding' this might 'ease' the burdens in our hearts at the pain in our world. For me I found what I would call a 'deeper understanding' within myself. Who wants a normal life when you can have an expanded version?
I hope you can enjoy the images for whatever they do for you".

"The point to living is to know love is at its roots and somehow in our very humane way we will walk, wobble, struggle, dance, run and tumble through the ‘potential of love’ in all its ugliness and beauty".

"Each painting is a story. We all walk around living out some story and it just keeps on happening despite our attempts to control and plan our lives. The dreaming for all humans despite our individuality started along time ago and keeps asking us to pay homage to it. Somehow we do honour the patterns whether we are conscious of doing so or not. In these works I examine what sort of creative relationship we have to our story of love and redemption". Norton Feb 2005