Artist's Profile

Alongside maintaining my own practice, I live and teach art in Dorset.

Originally trained in printed textiles, my drawings seek to depict the detail, structure and tone of natural form, particularly folds and creases, fur and texture. My collages explore found/accidental colour and pattern.

Drawing animals started after a trip to Morocco and some close encounters with camels, so majestic and proud, with their beautiful eyes and snooty faces!

And it has gone on from there, with many pet portrait commissions completed in a variety of media, and anything new is a welcome challenge.

My collage work

When teaching online during Covid we art teachers set ourselves the same tasks we were setting the pupils, and one of them was collage, and that’s how this type of work all began!

Collage allows me to explore found / accidental colour and pattern, and making marks with collage gives breadth and ambiguity, which may not be achieved with paint alone.

It also gives a refreshing richness to my work, which keeps me going back for more.

After a trip to Nepal, I was inspired to produce a number of evocative collages and drawings depicting the locality and its inhabitants.

Other collage work

My recent Kama Sutra collages stem from a colleague tempting me to include a bit of mischief in my work.

I have tried to achieve an element of humour in these collages, combined with the beautiful decorative and colourful elements of Indian Miniatures

Exhibitions

2024

May - taking part in Dorset Art Weeks in a group show

2023

Group exhibition ‘Six at Eight’ Gallery 8, London
Lucy McEachern Open Studios, Australia, 4 works selected

2022

ING Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, 3 works selected
Two-person exhibition ‘Fusion’ 54 The Gallery, London
Group exhibition Dorset Art Weeks, Bryanston Prep School

2021

RWA 168th Open, Bristol, 1 work selected2021
‘Drawing on Dorset’, Fine Foundation Gallery, Durlston, Swanage (selected by Anita Taylor)
This included the publication of a book, titled ‘Drawing on Dorset’ including all of the works in the show.
This exhibition then travelled to…..
The Lighthouse, Poole
The Slade Centre, Gillingham
Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester
The Glebe Gallery, Charlton, Shaftesbury

2019

Group exhibition ‘Drawn In’, Bridport Arts Centre
Quote from the Bridport Times “Extraordinarily intricate and large drawings by Helen Dean which depict the essential structure and strength of places such as Stair Hole at Lulworth Cove, minutely observed and drawn in pen and ink, will feature in the show”.

2018

RWA 166th Open, Bristol, 1 work selected
Group exhibition Dorset Art Weeks, Bryanston Prep School

2017

RWA ‘Drawn’, Bristol, 1 work selected

2016

RWA 168th Open, Bristol, 1 work selected2021
‘Drawing on Dorset’, Fine Foundation Gallery, Durlston, Swanage (selected by Anita Taylor)
This included the publication of a book, titled ‘Drawing on Dorset’ including all of the works in the show.
This exhibition then travelled to…..
The Lighthouse, Poole
The Slade Centre, Gillingham
Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester
The Glebe Gallery, Charlton, Shaftesbury