2D Acrylic and collage Balancing Act 2024 by Staffordshire artist entrant Helen Boardman
Size: 75 x 60 x 4 cm
Media: Acrylic and collage
Helen Boardman is a semi-abstract landscape artist based in Stone, Staffordshire. A keen walker, her work is an emotional as well as visual response to the landscapes explored. Experiences are distilled into fleeting moments and thoughts. Plein air sketching provides immediacy and energy, fuelled by the elements and crucial to the finished pieces. Back in the studio, larger works are completed, combining the various moments captured. Initial gestures are made quickly without intention. As the layers build, further marks are made in response, and pieces become more refined without becoming too literal. Whilst working primarily in acrylic, experimentation leads to discoveries and using a variety of media, tools, and techniques keeps the process exciting and constantly evolving. She has collectors in France, Australia, and the UK.
"Balancing Act, I've enjoyed the Roaches climb and ridge walk many times in all weathers and sketched and painted there too. This piece aims to capture the atmosphere and anticipation of the views as you climb the route up past the looming wall of gritstone with tall larches on the left. The rewards along the ridge are numerous and, although inspired by another range of rocks, for me, the words of Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage's work 'Balancing Act' encapsulate all. If you're not familiar with the poem, I can highly recommend it, especially if the Roaches are a favourite place of yours too."