Hélène Craig
Hélène Craig - Visual arts artist and illustration
Hélène Craig was first introduced to traditional and gestural calligraphy in the 2000s, a world she found fascinating. Driven by a growing desire to integrate art into her life, in 2010 she undertook an apprenticeship in art, illustration and creativity to add the artistic dimension that she found ever-more compelling, to her life’s journey.
HER ART
Hélène seeks to capture the atmosphere of a place, a landscape, or an object through abstract or semi-abstract works combining strength and sensitivity – two complementary energies – that are at once graphic, expressive and evocative for the viewer. Each work thus depicts an emotion initially captured on camera, with all the associated memories and feelings. Mystery and reverie are conveyed through the interplay of textures, lines, calligraphic gestures, shapes, and colours. With an eye for versatility, she works with different mediums and techniques, including acrylics, watercolours, inks, coloured pencils, pastels and drawing pencils, to explore atmosphere, movement, the passage of time, memory and nature.
Her art process blends structure with intuition. Photographic research and documentation occupy an important place in the beginning of her process. As she explores, she gives free rein to her intuition, which guides her in her creations. It’s a constant back-and-forth between thinking and letting go.
What drives her: Searching. Analyzing. Putting together. Creating. Moving. Learning.
Her mission: Putting emotion and soul into life.
The artist
ABOUT THE ARTIST
With a degree in Librarianship/Information Science and Political Science, Hélène used to be a librarian, researcher and digital intelligence analyst in university and institutional circles. Books, documentation, information and lifelong learning have always been a central part of her life… along with paper, pencils, ink and colour.
HER SOURCES OF INSPIRATION
She draws her inspiration mainly from calligraphic painting and abstract expressionism for the power of their lines and movement, and from painter Paul Klee for the quality of his lines, richness of his textures and colours, diversity of his techniques, and his capacity to evoke an otherwordly world.
PUBLIC ATTENTION
Some of her artworks appeared in issues of Uppercase Magazine in 2021, 2022 and 2023. She also participated in the 2023 annual students’ exhibition of the Centre des arts visuels de Montréal (CAV) at the McClure Gallery.
