Helen Walsh

I am passionate about engaging people in the arts and in working with them to explore and develop their creativity. In my participatory practice I am always aiming to help people to discover their own unique ways of working. I enjoy teaching specific techniques, particularly textiles skills, but my main aim is always to give people the freedom and confidence to try things for themselves in order to build their own unique style and boost their confidence; both in their work and themselves. I work in an inclusive and supportive manner that allows individuals to develop their own approaches whilst still gaining valuable technical skills.

Based on the Scottish Solway coast I'm inspired by nature and the landscape and how we connect to it. I'm interested in the human desire to transcend, to move beyond what we know and I often use the natural world to explore this desire. Drawing is always my starting point, offering a way to explore and understand the world before moving on to working with a range of techniques and media. I love to use traditional textile techniques such as embroidery and natural dyeing as I enjoy the connection with the often forgotten makers of the past this gives me.