Helen A taylor MA ASGFA aswa

Master of Arts - Printmaking

Post-Graduate Diploma - Printmaking

BA Hons Visual Arts (First Class)

Foundation Cert Art & Design (Distinction)

Associate member Society Graphic Fine Art (ASGFA).

Associate member Society Women Artists (ASWA).

Printmakers Council member

Recent exhibitions

Southbank Printmakers Mini Print 2024.

Ironbridge Print Prize 2024. Awarded Esdee prize for Linocut - Queen Anne’s Lace .

Printmakers Council Inkscapes exhibition at Horsebridge Arts Centre, Whitstable 2024.

Ukraine from Past to Future, Milton Keynes Library, 2024.

Society Women Artists Mall Galleries, London. 2024

Obsidian Art Gallery, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks Spring Exhibition 2024

Society Graphic Fine Arts 103rd Annual Open Exhibition. Mall Galleries, London. March 2024

RBSA Print Prize Exhibition 2024 Royal Birmingham Society Artists Gallery. 2024

Southbank Printmakers Mini Print Exhibition, London. 2023.

Three Hares Gallery, Olney, Buckinghamshire. Solo show 2023.

Woolwich Contemporary Print - Directors Cut 2023

Obsidian Art Gallery, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks Summer Exhibition 2023

Woburn Art Gallery. Woburn, Bedfordshire. summer Exhibition 2023.

Society Women Artists Mall Gallery, London. 2023

Gallery Live - High Street shop windows. Living Lovely, Stony Stratford. 2023

Society Graphic Fine Arts 102nd Annual Open Exhibition. Mall Galleries, London. March 2023

Woburn Art Gallery. Woburn, Bedfordshire. 2023.

Thinking for Printing - exhibition, Printmakers Council, Bankside Gallery, London. 2023.

Gallery Live - High Street shop windows. Odell, Stony Stratford. 2022-3

Surface and Depth - exhibition, Printmakers Council, Mandell’s Gallery, Norwich. 2022.

Southbank Printmakers Mini Print Exhibition, London. 2022.

Obsidian Art Gallery, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks Autumn Exhibition 2022

Bucks Art Weeks & National Trust (competition finalist) National Trust Stowe and National Trust Waddesdon September 2022

Woburn Sands Art Trail - High Street shops September 2022

Society Women Artists Mall Gallery, London. 2022

Mk Open, Westbury Farm, Milton Keynes July 2022

Bucks Art Weeks June 2022

Society Graphic Fine Art, Mall Gallery, London. May 2022.

Reghed Gallery, Penrith GREAT PRINT 7 - From December 2021 - May 2022

Obsidian Art Gallery, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks Winter Exhibition 2021-2022

Woolwich Contemporary Print November 2021

We Are MK Too, MK Museum, Milton Keynes 2021

Society Women Artists 2021 online only from September 2021

Mk Open, Westbury Farm, Milton Keynes

Obsidian Art Gallery, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks Summer Exhibition 2021

Bucks Open Studios and Bucks Art Weeks 2021

Seacourt Print Workshop 2020 International Mini Print Biennial now online to visit please follow the link Seacourt

Society Women Artists 2020 Due to C19 now online only from 22nd September to 31st December

Colour, Printmakers Council exhibition Royal Overseas League and online September to December 2020

Winter Exhibition “Art in Nature” New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, November 2020 - January 2021

Woolwich Contemporary Print November 2020

Door to Door, Art Aviso online from August 2020 exhibition in September 2021 LiTE-HAUS Galerie + Projektraum.Gallery Berlin

Plantae 2020, Society Botanical Artists, Mall Galleries, London 2020 online only - Rescheduled due to C19

RI 2020, Royal Institute painters in watercolour, Mall Galleries, London. 2020 (April 2020) Rescheduled due to C19 (September 2020)

Masters Relief, Royal Society Painter Printmakers, Bankside Gallery, London. 2019

Draw 19, Society Graphic Fine Art, Menier Gallery, London. 2019.

Ural Print Triennial, Bashkir State Art Museum. Mv Nesterov. Russia. 2019.

Red Dot Mini print touring exhibition, 2019.

Westbury Farm Open, Milton Keynes. 2019 .

Awagami International Miniature Print Exhibition, Japan. 2017; 2019.

International Contemporary Mini Print Kazanlak, Bulgaria. 2019.

Southbank Printmakers Mini Print Exhibition, London. 2019.

Bucks Open Studios and Bucks Art Weeks - 2015; 2016; 2017; 2018 (2020).Rescheduled to 2021 due to Covid-19

Solo exhibitions. Milton Keynes University Hospital; Church of Christ the Cornerstone. Milton Keynes; ‘Path.’ Interaction Arts Centre, Milton Keynes; ‘Curiosities.’ Stantonbury Campus Gallery, Milton Keynes.

work available to purchase here

Obsidian Gallery, Stoke Mandeville, Bucks

House of Prints (Online only)

Artists Statement.

Helen Taylor is primarily a printmaker working in woodcut and etching; usually working in series often producing hybrid prints, some combining print with hand-colouring and work which combines print with sculpture, photography, and found objects. Painting is used in her recent prints to give a greater range of colour, detail and texture to better show her intention which is to explore and amplify the natural world of trees, plants and flowers. Showing the incredible variety of colour and shape, the sheer diversity of what can grow in our own back gardens and local places.

Taylor also explores plants which are bred and live in 'captivity'. A possible future for many plant species, and for our experience of them, certainly those which may not be able to survive and adapt to long term changes to their environment and the threats brought by climate change. The titles of these pieces ‘Bred in captivity, ‘What do we have to lose’ are important in the telling of this story.
Her work is inspired by well known botanical and architectural ‘meeting’ places such as Kew  and Oxford Botanic Gardens, familiar to many, but she also works with hidden places in her local area. She has made several works in response to these closed and closeted secret spaces, which are located within ordinary working buildings, as well as more public spaces where people and plants unexpectedly intersect such as shopping centres. Taylor often uses her own garden for inspiration, especially a series which takes snapshots in time showing how even a small area of plants can completely transform in structure and palette at different seasons.

 Taylor’s work underlines the contrast of the human manufactured domain of hard edges and straight lines - containment, with the abundance and freedom of shape, form and colour of the natural world.

About me

I was unable to go to University at the age when most people go, and at that time getting a degree was not something I ever thought I would be able to do. I worked in Petro-chemical engineering as a draughtsman on leaving school, so spent my days drawing anyway.

I was able to resume my education in my 30’s, initially thinking I would do a foundation course. By this time I had two small children who I would sometimes take with me into college. I really enjoyed studying, much more than when I was at school so then studied for BA Hons in visual arts, gaining a first, and then a Masters degree (in printmaking).
I have worked as a community artist, adult education tutor and workshop leader, and most recently as Director of a ground breaking arts charity based in MK Hospital. We set up one of the first UK Arts on Prescription projects working with our local primary care, mental health &GP Services. I also worked as a commissioned artist on a DOH funded creative garden project, work which I continued with our local community when I became Director of the organisation.

I now work mainly on my own arts practice.

Teaching experience
Art Tutor - Residential Home & Hospital in Wyboston, Bedfordshire, for adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Art tutor/Workshop leader - Parental Inclusion Project Workshops (MK Council ACE) - Working with parents and their children in many schools across MK, including Special Schools and with parents with learning difficulties, and in local temples and mosques. 

Staff Development Workshops for teachers for Milton Keynes Arts Education Forum

 Art tutor/Workshop leader (freelance)
School Residencies & workshops across all age groups. Pre-school up to A Level.

 Stantonbury Campus - Adult Education Tutor. Classroom teacher.. Workshop leader in partner schools.

 Art tutor/Workshop leader and Director of Arts & Health charity MK Arts for Health - Milton Keynes Hospital and community based mental health projects including Arts on Prescription project.

 Commissions (Selection only)

Creative Courtyards project MK Hospital, DOH funded – garden designs with associated artworks. 2010

Wooton, Northampton Library – Banners Project for permanent display in Library building.

EBDOG Conference – banners project for conference then permanent display in schools.

Landmark Corridor artwork and childrens ward & Outpatients artworks MK Hospital.