Capturing Nature's Delicate Side: Botanical Art Meets the Magic of Lace
I worked with The Cowper and Newton Museum in Olney, Buckinghamshire (home to the poem Amazing Grace) over the last year, making work inspired by their collection, culminating in an exhibition at The Three Hares Gallery at the museum in October 2023.
The exhibition featured my usual botanical and architectural prints, many inspired by my home city of Milton Keynes. But also, new work which combines my love of flowers and plants with inspiration from the museum’s collection of historic Lace.
The first linocut print of this series – ‘Leaves like Lace’ was recently selected for the Society Women Artist’s group exhibition 2023 at the Mall Gallery, London and for ‘The Directors Cut’ - online exhibition of the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair. It was also selected for The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists print Prize exhibition.
Queen Anne’s Lace has been selected for The Society Graphic Fine Art group exhibition 2024 at the Mall Gallery, London, and for the Ironbridge Print Prixe exhibition, it was awarded the Esdee Prize for linocut.
Capturing Nature's Delicate Side: Botanical Art Meets the Magic of Lace
Helen Taylor’s artwork explores how the natural world links with and influences structures and objects made by humans.
Her work uses the medium of printmaking, (mainly woodcut and Linocut, often combined with watercolour painting), underpinned by intense and detailed drawings, grounded in process. She intertwines and layers flowers and leaves with architectural structures and domestic objects. Her work is sculptural in its use of line and shape, but also takes the intense colours of flora to contrast with the flat shades of our constructed world.
Taylors work is inspired by well-known botanical and architectural ‘meeting’ places such as Kew Gardens, familiar to many, but also less well known places in her local area. Her work is also inspired by spaces where people and plants unexpectedly intersect, such as shopping centres.
Taylor has been working with The Cowper and Newton Museum over the last year, making work inspired by their collection, culminating in an exhibition at The Three Hares Gallery at the museum in October 2023.
The exhibition will feature her usual botanical and architectural prints, many inspired by her home city of Milton Keynes. But also, new work which combines her love of flowers and plants with inspiration from the museum’s collection of historic Lace.
The first linocut print of this series – ‘Leaves like Lace’ was recently selected for the Society Women Artist’s group exhibition at the Mall Gallery, London and for ‘The Directors Cut’ - online exhibition of the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair.
I was invited to take part in an exhibition this year – Ukraine from past to future, a celebration of Ukrainian art and culture, with UK and Ukrainian artists.
For information about the exhibition please visit -
UkraineFromPastToFuture Art Exhibition - 6-27 September, 2024 - MK Central Library, Milton Keynes | The Chernobyl Relief Foundation in the UK
I selected work carefully for this – all pieces aiming to connect with the suffering and bravery and culture of the Ukrainian people.
Slava Ukraini - in memory of Y.
Linocut 2024
I worked with The Cowper & Newton Museum in Olney, and made some work inspired by their extensive and beautiful antique collection.
Ukrainian people say this work reminds them of Ukrainian lace, so I made this piece specially for the exhibition.
The print is based on Ukrainian White Work Lace showing stylised sunflowers and ears of wheat, the leaves and flowers are Viburnum (Guelder Rose) the national shrub of Ukraine which symbolises rebirth and infinity of life in their culture.
It is named Slava Ukraini - in memory of Y.
(Glory To Ukraine, in memory of a lovely person who went To Ukraine to help and didn’t come back.)