Helen Pullens Art Zone:

We're delighted to welcome local Wicklow Artist Helen Pullen as Arts editor on the site. Helen will be bringing you local arts information and sharing her thoughts and opinions on the arts in wicklow county.

Spring has Sprung

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the spring flowers are starting to bloom!  I am so happy and have gone back to painting.  The weather has been so dull and cold I just could not settle to serious painting.  The light even in the middle of the day was so dull and painting by artificial  light is not good.  I painted a new range of cards for Paddy’s Day and Mother’s Day but just could not settle into anything larger.

I never paint outdoors as I do not like to be watched but I have to confess that I like to watch other painters.  There is a very good painting programme on the satellite called “The Painting and Drawing Channel” and I often watch this so I spent a lot of this winter watching this channel and have learnt a lot, so have not really wasted the winter away!

I do occasionally come across two well know local artists painting local scenes as I walk to and fro around the town.  I remember one day spotting one local artist, knee deep in the river painting away but I did not disturb him, just watched for a while from the bridge, Unlike me he was completely lost in what he was doing and I do not think he noticed me.

Tomorrow I am off to Kilmacurragh Woods or maybe off down to the beaches in Wexford with my camera  and sketch book.  I have not got a great sense of direction and often am not quite sure where I am but because of wandering up and down country roads I have come across some lovely scenes to paint.  My favourite place though I have to say is Glendalough, but I have still not been lucky enough to get a good picture of the lake – you know when the lake is smooth without a ripple and everything is reflected in it – lovely.

~ Helen

February 2010

When I go out for the day to Dublin or somewhere local or even when I am on holidays abroad I always go into a gallery for a browse.

It is interesting to see how other artists reproduce images and it is an eye opener especially for me as I feel I have so much to learn.  I will always remember the paintings in Australia, they had such expansive skies and much more light than I am used to here.

I am a member of Kilmantin Art Gallery in Wicklow town and as part of my membership I do duty behind the counter from time to time, so on Saturday I found myself behind the counter.  I feel so lucky to be able to spend time like this in a gallery and I always walk around the gallery looking at the pictures that are on display.

We have some fantastic artists in the gallery and as I browse through the pictures I come across a detailed oil of a sailing ship, a really beautiful pastel of a Labrador, a quirky acrylic of fishes and much much more.

I really enjoy watching the customers that come into the gallery and listening to their comments – mostly favourable!

On Saturday a little girl and her mother came in and the little girl went around the gallery oohing and aahing, really enjoying herself – really lovely to listen to.

Now if I could only get my own sons to make the same sounds when I show them one of my paintings!!”

~ Helen

January 2010

Art plays a big part of island life there with both public and private  galleries  around the island and there is a small community of artists living on the island.

I really admire how the islanders turned the tragedy of  the volcanic eruptions to their advantage and have made a unique place for people like me to visit.  I have travelled a lot but I have never come across anywhere else like Lanzarote and I always come away from there with lots of ideas.

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