Helen Stuart is used to hearing people say her art is not that common.
The creative, who makes art pieces from copper sheets, will have her work on display at the Thames Gallery for the month of July. It will be her second exhibition at the gallery.
The artist told The Profile she worked with a thin grade of sheet copper that most people weren’t used to seeing, and people would tell her “I haven’t seen anything like this before”.
The sheet copper Helen used had a .25mm thickness which she said was “very nice to work with”.
But it was “quite a big commitment” she said, as the copper sheet had to be purchased in rolls of 10kgs at a time.
Her creations consisted of copper fish, birds, flowers and more.
Helen’s art journey with sheet copper started with her late husband Roger, who showed her the ropes.
“I started off [working] with my husband… he was a car painter by trade and he had a very good eye. He was very accurate in whatever he did.”
One time, there was a whole lot of sheet copper left over and Helen said she had an idea.
That’s when she decided to start making little shoals of tropical fish, and Roger would help her put it all together, she said.
“He made special tools which helped with the decorative part of the textures and indentations. I get the colour from heat and lacquer and am experimenting with a few inks, which are tricky to apply,” she said.
“But when he passed away, which was 2009, I decided, ‘oh, I wanted some markers for the garden’, so I made little butterflies on a stick and carried on making the little fish.
“It just sort of grew from there and I just experimented myself,” she said.
“I do have a passion for it. I enjoy it, that’s the main thing. And I love meeting the people.”
DETAILS: Helen Stuart’s art will be on display at Thames Art Gallery, 604 Tararu Rd, Thames, from May 1, 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on weekends.
By DAVIDDA HIKATANGATA
