I currently have work available from The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh and The Iona House Gallery in Woodstock.
2021 Exhibition Details
A year of Flux. A month of 2021 is already behind us, the snowdrops are poking through the sodden earth and we have spring just around the corner. Planning for exhibitions isn’t quite so easy to predict as the cyclical nature of the seasons. The North Fife Open Studios in May has been cancelled but I am happy to say I will offer an alternative to this whether it be online or in person once restrictions have eased but this will be decided nearer the time. Please watch this space and new-letters for announcements.
In the meantime Please see the dates below for further opportunities to see and buy my work.
• Joint Exhibition with Michele Bianco ceramicist - Loch Torridon – Preview 24th February - Online video format via Michele’s instagram feed. I will share this as a newsletter, on my website and Instagram for you all too see. Works will be available in my online shop on the 25th Feb for direct purchase.
This Exhibition is now live here Torridon Exhibition
• Solo Exhibition at Reispole Gallery • Strontian, Argyll – 30th May to 9th July
• Tatha Gallery Summer exhibition – • 30th July - 27th August
Patience • Oil on Board • 18x24cm
Free to Roam - My time at Tatha and moving on.
My last day at Tatha Gallery is fast approaching. As some of you may know, I have taken the decision to make new and positive changes in my life, and to carve out a future to which I will be fully committed. I am looking forward to what lies ahead, yet it is natural that I am also filled with trepidation. I am leaving behind a business that I have put my heart and soul into. Anyone who has started their own business or who has chosen to change their path, will surely understand the mixed emotions that come with moving on, but I am proud of everything we have achieved since the idea of Tatha was born eight years ago. Since then, the gallery has become synonymous with quality and style, has become known internationally for wonderful Scottish Art, and has brought light and enjoyment for a great many.
Deciding to do something about your ideas can often be daunting. We tend to think of the pitfalls instead of the opportunities, but if your dreams are close to your heart they become an existential need. For instance, when I founded Tatha Gallery with my former business partner I had the deep desire as a single mum to provide for my daughter, and to show her that you can make positive choices to help change your life for the better. You can take control and forge a way forward however nerve-wracking it maybe. My years as a self-employed artist had already been fruitful, yet I knew I had more in me, with plenty more energy and ideas to commit to the arts. At the time, rightly or wrongly I always felt painting was something of a selfish pursuit. A piece of my jigsaw was missing, and I realised I had the desire to give more back - to make a difference, and to help others.
I didn’t want to go down the route of Academia as many artists do, because as a free-spirit the restrictions and demands of employment within an institution would very likely have been too great. Since leaving Art College I had increasingly become frustrated with what I felt were entrenched perceptions that commercially successful art could not also be taken seriously. I left Art College in 2002 with a Masters and Diploma under my belt with the overriding feeling that being able to sell your art was somehow frowned upon. This is a conversation I have enjoyed time and time again in my time at Tatha and it is one I still feel passionate about. I wished to set about finding a way of changing this or indeed trying to shift and blur the edges somewhat; letting it be known that it is indeed okay to sell your art and if you are able to sell it then it doesn’t mean that it is in some ways less worthy of acclaim. If some art seems inaccessible it doesn’t automatically mean it is better. We have proved this time and time again at Tatha, bringing a huge variety of great art to the area and inspiring and enriching the lives of those who then went on to choose to purchase, and live with the work they saw. We have shown that Scottish artists are full of talent, passion, and incredible ideas, and that the work they do does indeed make a difference to people’s lives.
Back in 2012, the gallery had its genesis. Marie and Mark Cashley had in mind the huge and somewhat impressive project of resurrecting and restoring the sadly dilapidated Newport Hotel. They had great vision and determination, and over eighteen months or so we formed the ideas to create a space where people could enjoy Artworks with the Tay Estuary as a beautiful backdrop. It was hands on from the very beginning. Courage, belief, and determination are needed to embark on such an adventure, but it takes even more to make it succeed. Both the local and Arts community were behind us all the way, and for this I will be forever grateful.
The launch of the inaugural exhibition in April 2014 was certainly a night to remember. Rain was pouring down, but the Gallery was packed to the hilt. Richard Demarco had very warmly agreed to open the gallery for us, leaving me quite an act to follow with my inaugural speech. I realised then that people want others to succeed. They want to offer support, and be part of new things. It gave me faith to go forward with the ideas that would hopefully put Newport on Tay on the International Art map.
Tatha became a place where ideas could be made visual, connections could be made for others, and life could be enriched. We offered exhibitions, and accompanying talks and demonstrations, within a communal creative hub that would inspire all ages. Building the trust and endorsement took time and a lot of effort, and the learning curve for building a business was steep and exponential. This was an exciting time. The model was always flexible, the work fun, and the business grew. It was also an exciting time to be a woman in business and as a single mum I wanted to be a positive role model for my daughter, to show her that women can indeed shoot for the stars. I took advice from respected businesswomen and men who all said to believe in yourself and surround yourself with good mentors. Both pieces of advice proved to be invaluable.
Whilst building the Gallery’s reputation consumed much of my time and energy, I became ever aware that my own work as a Painter should never be neglected and in fact I made sure that I allotted specific time slots for each, seeking balance by often working late into the night once my daughter was in bed. Since I am most happy when I paint, the extra hours were never a chore. In the midst of this two-pronged working life, I was often asked whether I was a gallerist, or an artist? The question was interesting, but almost irrelevant. At this time, I truly felt that it was possible to be both, and indeed became both, as my mind moulded itself to the two roles and I saw the benefits that each offered the other. Being a gallerist has been really fascinating, giving me invaluable insights into the business side of the Art World that I otherwise would not have had.
There have been many highlights in my time at Tatha. We hosted a fabulous solo show by Frances Walker in the first year which led to us working on her behalf, along with Arthur Watson, in helping to bequest her Antarctic Suite of paintings to the McManus Galleries in Dundee. Seeing this body of works there in the recent exhibition sent shivers down my spine, knowing that these wonderful paintings were now to be in their care in perpetuity.
Working with Norman Gilbert over the years has been a delight. On every level his exhibitions have been a success. His passion was unwavering, his paintings a continuing delight. His exhibitions with Tatha made the world a smaller place by connecting thousands of people all over the planet who loved and admired his work. The BBC Loop programme was a huge success in helping to promote his imagery and story. It was a very sad day when Norman passed away. I was truly humbled to have been asked to speak at his funeral, and honoured to have been able, along with Lindsay, to have played such a large part in sharing his work globally.
None of this would have happened were it not for all the support that we were given. Art critics Jan Patience and Giles Sutherland worded generous articles in favour of our shows. Art International covered three of our exhibitions, and local help came repeatedly from Michael Alexander at the Courier. Spreading the news on a more personal level came from our dedicated and loyal customers, many of whom are now friends. I feel so thankful to everyone who came through the doors with their words of encouragement and am sorry I will not be able to thank everyone in person. In the nearly seven years that our doors have been open we have hosted 54 exhibitions and supported over 200 artists. These artists have been paramount to our success and I am truly thankful to all of them for producing such stunning work and committing to the exhibitions over the years. Working with Lindsay and Clare has been a joy, making the tough times fun and the good times great. I leave in the knowledge that the gallery is in wonderful hands. Lindsay will fly the flag with continued energy and renewed vision, and I am in no doubt that Tatha will go from strength to strength in the years to come.
I am truly excited about venturing forth with my career in painting and I am happy that I can now fully commit to putting all my energies into exploring new ideas and projects. The landscape of Scotland has so much to offer and in recent years I have missed the freedom of being able to roam at will to find new subject matter. I plan to organise residencies where research can be undertaken in areas of Scotland that I perhaps haven’t been to before. From my Newport studio in my first year I will create a body of work with the fresh eyes and renewed focus that reflects the new-found freedom. This will hopefully reflect a freer year for us all after such a difficult 2020.
There is much to be celebrated here in Scotland. The attraction of the raw and uninhabited landscapes such as Rannoch Moor and the Northern Highlands still have a hold over me, but I will take time to experience the coastline beaches and shoreline closer to home too. The drama and the solitude of these places is powerful and often threads its way through my work. The landscape has to be experienced first-hand and at length to then paint it with the respect it is due. Perhaps I am entranced by the idea of the hermit lifestyle, I will certainly revel in the quiet delights of spending time in the wilds but with a firm intent to create work which lets others discover the true nature and glory of Scottish escapism. I fully intend to share this with you all via exhibitions, my website and Instagram.
Research and writing will also play a larger part in my work going forward, to be an artist means that multi disciplines can be explored and the poetic and lyrical nature of my work lends itself to exploring writings and words of others. How people see the world is truly inspiring. Despite my ideas in the earlier naive years of my career about creating being rather insular pursuit I now realise it is in fact the opposite. Art connects and truly has the power to transform the way we think and feel. So, I find myself once again taking a huge step forward, making decisions and changes to my life. I believe that our lives can take many twists and turns for the better, our formative ideas of who we are meant to be are malleable if you wish. New colour can be added and subtracted as you see fit.
2020 will have brought about many life changing situations for people and for those teetering on the edge of wonderous new directions I would wholeheartedly, with a little planning, recommend going for it. Paint with that new colour, make your new marks and explore potential.
Online Open: October 2020
Fife Open Studios weekend was originally scheduled for Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th October 2020. Due to updated government guidelines, the event will no longer proceed as planned. However, we’ve put together an Online Open webpage, which will be live on this website all month, offering you a look at new and available artworks, alongside studio insights… things you’d normally see exploring the studio in person.
Realist and Lyrical Landscapes at The Scottish Gallery
02-26th September 2020
I am excited to say that my exhibition at The Scottish Gallery is now online and all works are available to purchase. I have been looking forward to this show for many months and I am thrilled that it is now actually happening! I have been on tenterhooks all year not knowing how the show would take shape but I needn’t have worried as the gallery is open. For a sneaky peak please take a look at the catalogue below. I have added my artist film on my film page but have also added it below for ease.
Looking Forward, Forward Looking at Tatha Gallery
27th June- 22nd August 2020
At the beginning of July I will be taking part in a group show at Tatha Gallery, Newport on Tay alongside John C Brown, Nerine Tassie and Eva Ullrich and ceramicist Barry Stedman. This exhibition will be online soon and invitations will be sent in due course. The intention is for the gallery to open its doors in phase 2 of lockdown. We are unsure of the exact dates just now so please watch this space for more details.
Shallows • Oil on Board • 45x65.5cm
Ten New Artist Support Pledge Paintings
I have been continuing with the artists support pledge paintings behind the scenes and I will release 10 more 20x20cm paintings on Friday 12th June at 8pm . They will be available directly from my buying page. This project has been a life line for many artists over this difficult period.
#artistsupportpledge is a movement founded by artist Matthews Burrows to support artists and makers during Covid-19. Artists post pictures of their works for sale for no more than £200 plus postage. Everytime an artist makes £1,000 in sales they commit 20% on purchasing the work of another artist using the hashtag. There are no enforcements, it is a system based on trust where everyone, at every level can contribute in supporting artists and makers.
There have to date been over 200k posts by artists world wide in support of this pledge.
Shortlisted for The Castlegate Prize
Vision
Whilst buried neck deep in paint last week my phone pinged, I sighed and decided to ignore the message and continued to concentrate on the piece I was working on. Later when my hands were cleaner and my head a little freer I checked my e-mails to find a wonderful message saying my painting Vision had been shortlisted. Such exciting news!! Weeks before I had entered the 1 metre square painting on the very last day of the entry deadline, Valentines day as it happens. I had been swithering for a while about the painting, for me it is a special one, I didn’t quite know which forthcoming show it would feature in until I realised it was perfect for the Castlegate Art Prize. A newly launched competition which supports the mental health charity Young Minds by donating the entry fee to the charity. A very worthy cause. So many prizes and open exhibitions now a days charge a fee for a digital entry and pocket the money. I immediately warmed to this new approach. The prize asked for a painting inspired by the word ‘Hope’. As many of you may know my work circumnavigates many emotions, the landscape acts as a foil by which these emotions are conveyed. The initial concept of ‘Vision’ was to create a calm and uplifting sense of light. Winter can send many personalities of weather our way but occasionally in-between the storms and high winds there are those perfect moments where the air rests and rare warm light breaks through. We naturally stop and take a breath in these moments and our psyche reminds us spring isn’t too far away; Hope. I will keep my fingers tightly crossed over the next few weeks in hope that Vision makes the final cut, an exhibition of works by the finalists and perhaps I dare to even wonder if the painting will even secure the big prize? I will keep you posted as soon as I hear any news.
Vision • Oil on Board • 100cmx100cm
The McManus Museum and Art Gallery
The Summer months turned out to be really exciting for me. Immerse opened in June and from then onwards it was a whirlwind of joy. The show received a 4 star review from Giles Sutherland at the Times Newspaper and a wonderful write up by Jan Patience arts critic at the Herald. Art North magazine featured my work in their second issue and again on-line. I couldn’t have been happier with the generous words of these well respected art journalists. The good news didn’t stop there with the show in full swing and many sales to boot The Mcmanus Galleries in Dundee told me of their wish to acquisition a piece for their public collection. I am thrilled to share the news that the painting ‘Immerse’ is now in their good hands in perpetuity. The solo show really has made a difference to my outlook and future ideas and I wish to thank all who came along and supported my endeavours.
It has been quite interesting for me to experience making such a huge body of work that meant so much to me. As a result I felt really quite devoid of ideas for quite sometime afterwards but I can say I am now back in full swing of things and raring to find new ways of communicating through paint. Recent research trips to Rannoch Moor and Fife beaches have inspired once more to capture what I feel in paint. The more I look the more excited I become about shaping new ideas and finding new ways of sharing them. The studio is full once more with empty canvases, primed and ready for new work and I have more exciting exhibitions coming up next year and I look forward to telling you more about them in due course.
Autumn Equinox • Oil on Board
IMMERSE Solo Exhibition
Invitation to Immerse • 21st June 6.30-8.30pm • Tatha Gallery • 2019
Immerse is an exhibition of over 45 paintings completed over the last 12 months.
I am excited to announce the launch of my solo show at Tatha Gallery. It is a little daunting to be doing a solo show at Tatha and to have produced this amount of work is no mean feat but one I have relished. I hope you can come along and enjoy this final part of the journey with me.
Open Studios
Helen Glassford inhabits two parallel worlds: the public world of the Gallerist and Curator, and her private world as a Painter. As a Gallerist she seeks to uncover and bring into public view her own sense of some of the very best of Contemporary Scottish Art.
Alongside this public face, there is an Artist fully immersed in the processes of her own creativity, stealing time in her studio, to make paintings that reveal her innermost meditations of what it is to be a woman interacting with her own experiences of being in the Landscape.
Once a year, in the Open Studios Weekend, Helen welcomes visitors into the sanctum that is her home and studio. This is a much-anticipated annual event for her, as an opportunity to engage with her audience in the quiet surroundings of her living space. It is always wonderful to meet again with old friends and acquaintances, and also to make new relationships with new visitors. Transforming one’s house into an exhibition space creates a different environment; one in which new paintings might be encountered in a way that is different from the more formal atmosphere of the Gallery simply because it is more personal. For the viewer, to be allowed to cross the threshold into an Artist’s residence and studio is to be permitted to see at first hand the place in which it all happens. There is evidence everywhere. Stained easels, ranks of colour-encrusted brushes, palettes mounded with old paint, partly crushed tubes of pigment and linseed oil. Bookshelves crammed with reference works. On the walls, of course, is the output. There is something different about seeing paintings surrounding the Artist who made them, in the place where they are made. One is able to understand, perhaps with a small shock of comprehension, that the Art, the Artist, and the Studio are in fact all parts of the same thing.
Alan Greig
Over the Open Studio weekend Helen will welcome and talk to every visitor about her new work and concepts. It has become quite an event over the years attracting many art lovers and followers. Buying a piece of artwork or simply enjoying new work is indeed very special; discussions and conversations and stories shared become part of the enjoyment of the wonderful experience. It is an opportunity not only to meet Helen but to also meet the Paintings. Perhaps you will stay long enough to talk and share something memorable together. You will be most welcome.
Open Studios is part of North Fife Open Studios and is held on the first May Bank Holiday every year. If you would like more details to this event please join Helen’s mailing List.
4th / 5th / 6th May 2019 10am-6pm
Gentle Night • Oil on Board
Research Trip
At the tail end of January I escaped to the North. I spent five wonderful days exploring the Assynt Peninsula, drawing and walking. A planned research trip can often come with expectations that potentially won’t be fulfilled, but I was not disappointed. The weather behaved. By that I mean it was wild, cold and snowy. The light changed every few minutes. Just perfect for my work. My winter visit also meant there were very few people around. I found the quiet and solitude needed for the natural world to sink in. Sketchbooks were filled and words were written all in preparation for new work when I returned home. Research trips are essential to progression. To put it simply they are inspiring. I am often happy enough with staying closer to home but a completely new place opens up new ideas. The mind can find new ways to make marks and can lead you away from your usual perhaps comfortable colour combinations and inspire to try new ones. Compositions can be explored. The rocks, the beaches and the hills felt fresh and exciting since I am used to seeing the eastern vast stretches of sky and sand. Mark making changes accordingly. It is necessary to take your time, a day would not be enough to soak the landscape in. I was reminded of Jon Scheuler’s work as the weather wraps itself around you and seeps into every pore. Being in the landscape is essential for me. I don’t wish to just observe but to experience the weather that nature decides to throw at me. Hail, snow, freezing winds and brilliant sunshine. I love it all.
My days took me to Alchiltibuie via the multiple stopping points and vistas. Achnahaird was wild and well worth the drenching I got whilst walking to the beach. Trips further North and through deeper snow revealed deserted roads and windswept beaches. The colours were magnificent set against the cool snow white shades; Slate Greys, peat bog browns and blacks with occasional glimpses of the hopeful translucent sea blues and greens. This was the true Scotland.
With a solo show to prepare for I was in full flow, translating ideas and experiences into marks, paintings and writings. Consumed and happy I immersed myself for five days in painting the landscape.
My forthcoming show ‘IMMERSE’ will be at Tatha Gallery in June.
Dates for your diary • Preview 21st June
Exhibition continues 22nd June - 24th August
New Work Available
My latest body of work is now online and available to purchase. Take a look on the Portfolio page 2018. I am happy to chat through any of the work and studio visits are always welcome if you can’t make up your mind. Many of the pieces will be shown in Tatha Gallery in the forthcoming Winter Exhibition ‘Even More Alchemy’ Preview 10th November 2-4pm and runs until 24th December
Inspiration
The Summer months have now made way for Autumn winds and chilly mornings and fresh new look at work and inspirations. Through July, August and early September I took opportunities, where I could, to venture further afield. With innocent anticipation I packed my tent, walking boots and midge repellant and set off to explore the West.
No matter what my ideas for future work are there is always a pull to Rannoch Moor, and I am never disappointed. It was so exciting to see the light and colour changing so rapidly and I found myself not knowing in which direction to look. Once I had wandered far enough and for long enough all my thoughts for work had changed. In fact, the expectations had dissipated completely. This is a lesson I learn every time I am researching and finding new painting material, but it’s a mistake I always seem to make. Set goals and ideas dissolve away with the passing shower and time and place become dominant. Nature quite elegantly reminds me that there is no set subject, no one way of seeing and certainly no same way of experiencing; nature has the incredible ability of resetting the internal compass. The heather and hills in late summer seemed to be enriched with an ever-changing filter which left me in awe of the magnificence unfolding in front of me to the extent that I found myself often questioning what I was seeing. Now I am home the mystery of the hidden and the subtlety but sureness of the visible seeps through my work once more. It is both captivating and inspiring and will feed my next series of paintings from the west.
Looking Towards Rannoch Moor from Glen Coe
Feature in The Dundee Courier
I am delighted to be showing in an Exhibition at Tatha Gallery alongside artists Kate Downie and Paul Furneaux. It was featured in the Dundee Courier and the Glasgow Herald on the 22nd June.
Forthcoming Shows
Tatha Gallery Depth of Field with Kate Downie and Paul Furneaux 23rd June -18th August 2018. View Exhibition
Open Studios Event
Demonstration and Talk
On the 4th August I will be giving an informal demo and talk at Tatha gallery. To be perfectly honest the thought of showing people how I work fills me with a certain amount of trepidation since my painting process is usually a very private pursuit. The state I need to enter when painting is one of feeling removed and losing myself, so I can feel free enough to recreate the sensations of my subject yet simultaneously finding an almost hyper state of awareness. The painting then flows and becomes about that very moment I find myself in, feeling energised by the complete absorption.
Painting in front of a room full of people will therefore present new challenges. But I hope that it will spark new conversations and ideas and perhaps add another dimension to the experience of making work.
If you wish to attend the talk please contact Tatha Gallery 01382 690800. Spaces are limited.
Helen Glassford • Studio Shot
Affordable Art Fair Hampstead
Origami Landscape • Oil on Board • Helen Glassford
I was thrilled at the fantastic response to my work at the Affordable Art Fair in May. Some of my more abstract pieces were on show, such as Origami Landscape, Emerge and Edgelands. Choosing work for these events is always proves to be a challenge. The market continues to fluctuate and is affected by the political and economic climate, with the seasons, the weather even, so it is nearly impossible to second guess what clients might like. Having said this there are always people who want to immerse themselves in the Arts and enjoy and invest in something that will add to their lives. As artists, we rely on that surety that art, like music, stays with you. That it becomes part of your everyday life, catching glimpses, perhaps seeing something new each time you pass. What we choose to add to our lives is, therefore, an important decision. I have painted now for 20 years and I can quite honestly say that and every sale is as delightful as the first. Thank you to all who visited and showed interest and passed comment.
