chanahelen

About Me

B”H

A little bit about my background

1962 – 1964 After leaving school I took a two year Foundation course at Bradford Art College, England.  As well as studying the basics of drawing and painting I enjoyed experimenting with many different media including printmaking, ceramics and weaving.  This training helped me to decide to study for a Fine Art Degree in Painting and Printmaking at Maidstone College of Art, England.
1964 – 1968 Completed my Fine Art Degree(with Honours) at Maidstone College of Art.

1968 – 1969 Obtained my Art Teaching Certificate from Leeds University.

1969 – 2006 Worked as a Teacher.  My first position was as an Art Teacher at a London Comprehensive.  Alongside this job I taught Art in Adult Education Centres and worked on my own art.  I continued to teach Art in various schools, including Special Schools in Minehead, Bristol,  Bradford and Scunthorpe.  The last teaching job that I had was in a Junior School working with young children.

What I am trying to do now

2006 Retired from teaching and made aliyah (moved to Israel, Jerusalem). Since then I have seriously taken up my Art Work full-time, gaining much of  my inspiration from my observations of Jerusalem life.   My teaching career has helped me to gain insight into the character and behaviour of people of all ages from many walks of life.  I hope that my life experiences have increased my empathy with people and my understanding of them.

2010 Launched my website and began selling my art work through it.  Sold work at Art fairs and Presentations in Jerusalem, where I lived.

2012 Moved to Be’er Sheva, in the Negev Desert, Israel.  Sold work through Art Fairs in Be’er Sheva, and continued to sell in Jerusalem and through my website.

2013  Accepted by the Association of Israeli Painters  and Sculptors, a National Professional Association.

2013  Lino print to be included in ‘Breath/Breadth Group Exhibition at Brooklyn College Hillel, New York, presented by Jewish Art Now,  March 7-May 23

2013  Oil painting to be included in the Group Exhibition ‘Pesach’ at the Library Art Gallery, Be’er Sheva, March 10th – April 7th.

Schlomo Carlebach once said that he caught some of the melodies which continually descend from Heaven.  I like to try to ‘catch’ (observe, sketch) some of the pictures, often quite fleeting, which are continually given to us, and use these in my art work.