Biography for Helen Millar

After studying for a Degree in Printed Textile Design at Leicester 1980-1983,
Helen worked as a freelance watercolour artist and was represented by the Francis Kyle Gallery in London. She completed commissions for clients and participated in themed exhibitions, one being "Ten British Watercolourists" which took place in Bilbao Fine Art Museum, Bilbao, Spain. Then she worked as a textile designer for G.P. & J Baker in London designing predominantly floral furnishing fabrics and wallpapers. This enabled her to learn the traditional methods of textile drawing in watercolour working closely with historical designs from their own archive collections. She also worked as a freelance textile designer for Sanderson and John Lewis Partnership.

Helen now lives in Leicestershire with my family and wire-fox terrier Stanley. She has always been inspired by natural elements combined with my collection of British Ceramic Ware from the 1930's. She paints from life and particularly enjoy the clarity and freshness that watercolour paint can produce. She feels my textile design background has greatly influenced the way her work continues with her fascination with organic pattern, colour and the discipline of observational drawing.
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