Helen Fitzhardinge has recently returned to Albany after living in Victoria for 20 years. She has set up a light filled studio in her backyard and spends many happy hours creating in that space.
Her enameled brooches and pendants use recycled steel as a base metal. After rigorous cleaning, the metal is cut to shape before she paints the surface with a special enamel- finely ground glass suspended in a clay base. The layers of enamel are built up slowly and fired in a kiln at around 650 degrees Celsius each time a new layer is added. Each piece is fired around 15 times to build up the depth of colour. The pieces are double sided with a similar design but different colourway on either side.
In 2015 Helen bought an etching press. She experimented with different printmaking techniques before a 2019 workshop introduced her to waterless lithography. This non toxic printmaking method has become her preferred method of working with it’s basis in drawing and its endless capacity for experimentation. Using lithography with either hand painting or collagraph to add colour, she creates prints on whatever subject currently interests her. The inspiration for her latest works is life under the water surface.
Helen has tutored printmaking at the Albany Summer School for the past 2 years. She exhibited in 2024 Southern Arts and Craft Trail with # women who print. Her jewellery is on display at the Box Office Artisans Store, Albany Town Hall.
