We were curious to delve into the mind behind the creations, so we asked Helen Burgess about her journey as an artist and her inspirations. She revealed a lifelong love for both art and wildlife, sharing: "I got my best grades at school in art and biology and was torn between the two when it came to choosing what to study at university. I always assumed I’d go to art school but after becoming more aware of all the issues facing our environment, I decided on a geography degree. This eventually led me to an amazing job at a local wildlife conservation charity. The onset of fibromyalgia meant I had to cut down my hours at the office and led me to rediscover my love of art. Evening pottery classes led to a new-found hobby which slowly became a part-time business. I’m back to combining my two passions in life and feel very lucky to have this working pattern."
Curious about how Helen developed her distinct artistic style, we asked her to share its origins. Her answer brought us back to the joys of her childhood: "The show Morph was a big part of growing up in the '80s in the UK and I became obsessed with stop-motion animation. I’ve seen everything made by Aardman and was convinced that one day I’d work for them. People often say they can see an Aardman influence in my current work which I take as a huge compliment."
Every artist has their preferred materials, and Helen explained how her choice of clay complements her creative process. She described using clay with a slightly gritty texture to suit her hand-building technique: "My two main clays are White St Thomas and Craft Crank. The first I use for animals that will have bright colours or a slightly smoother finish. The underglazes I use work best when applied to a white base. The crank clay is my absolute favourite. It has a sand-like texture and when fired it comes out looking and feeling like well done toast. I use this for animals that have a simpler finish, usually just a satin white glaze applied to some areas. The beautiful finish of the fired clay speaks for itself. I fire everything up to stoneware temperatures to keep life simple and means everything is watertight."
Helen shared that most of her animals start as two pinch pots joined together, forming their signature plump shape. "Then my favourite tool for shaping is actually a small wooden spoon bought at a car boot sale which is perfect for spanking the clay into shape."
Creating ceramic sculptures comes with its challenges, especially for Helen, who manages her fibromyalgia while pursuing her art. She opened up about how fatigue impacts her work: "It can be quite physical at times and there are days when I have brain fog and just not in the creative mood, which I know all artists experience. I'm also self-taught which presents its own challenges, as I'm doing things the way I think is best. However, I know that there must be better/speedier ways of doing things.
And that leads me on to one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. It's a very friendly and encouraging online community out there and many people are happy to share tips and tricks, which has really helped me. I've met and collaborated with an amazing bunch of artists over the years, either face to face or online, and made friends along the way."
To wrap up, we asked Helen what she hopes people feel when they see her work. Her response was as heartfelt as her creations: "A little giggle or a smile and an appreciation of the incredible animals out there."
