It was definitely a pinch me moment walking into my local Sainsbury’s to buy the July edition of Ireland’s Homes, Interiors and Living magazine! I was page 42! Never in a million years would I have thought I’d have a full page spread in a leading interiors magazine. But, I’ve worked so hard the past couple of years, and I’m really proud to see what I’ve accomplished. The team at Ireland’s Homes, Interiors and Living were so lovely and fun to work with, it has definitely been a highlight of my year so far.

I often design my bold abstract artwork with stylish, modern interiors in mind, and the magazine is definitely known for its contemporary living spaces and architecturally stunning homes.

Several of you don’t live locally and so weren’t able to buy a copy of the magazine, so now you can no longer purchase it the shops, I wanted to share with you some snippets of the article.

Each month, the magazine features a creative profile featuring artists, painters, illustrators and artisans from across the island of Ireland. This time it was me, such an honour to be profiled. Read the article below, which tells my story and what inspires me the most.

I hope you enjoy!

Helena Tarn is a contemporary fine artist and graphic designer living in Newry, County Down. Inspired by the natural beauty of Ireland and a childhood spent in the Yorkshire moorlands in England, her vibrant acrylic abstract artwork boldly depicts the rich, wild landscapes and is a celebration of colour in the natural world.

Although passionate about art growing up, Helena chose the ‘sensible’ job route and worked in the corporate IT industry in London for several years. However, the need to find creative fulfilment reignited the desire to experiment artistically and she started to take evening art classes at St Martins College of Art to fill the creative void and hone her technical skills.
Primarily working in acrylic, Helena’s work is driven by raw emotion and a deep, meaningful connection with the bold landscapes. The rhythms and the movement of the land and sea, drive the need to capture these feelings to form colours and shapes on canvas.

Helena’s paintings are abstract expressionist. Her paintings are not perfect representations of what is seen. Rather, she prefers to set the tone of the landscape, and let the bold texture and colour lead the viewer to their own conclusion. With Ireland’s rolling green hills overlooking moody dark rocks, interspersed with golden sands and turquoise blue coves, not to mention
vibrant pink and orange sunsets, the coast plays to her love of brave textures and bold colours. The wildness and the energy and chaos of the rocky coastline is a constant source of inspiration. She hopes to represent that energy and chaos.

Since moving to Northern Ireland, Helena has also been inspired by the rich heritage of vibrant street art, which along with her background as a graphic designer, brings graphic and structured elements, with uninhibited pops of colour. Her hope is that her use of bold colour and rich textures will create a pronounced mood and distinct atmosphere, whilst respectfully leaving enough creative space for the individual viewer’s own imagination. Helena’s hope is that you experience raw and authentic art, art energises you and enables you to become as powerful and bold as the landscapes she seeks to represent.

When Helena is not painting, you can find her hiking her local Mourne mountains, sea swimming, and binge watching whatever drama series she’s currently addicted to whilst gorging on sweet and salty popcorn. To learn more about Helena, visit her website helenatarnart.com and sign up to her monthly newsletter or follow her on Instagram for regular studio updates.

I hope you enjoyed reading the article – I am so thrilled and honoured to be such a part of an iconic publication. I’d love to know what you thought, so please leave a comment below. Please learn more about Ireland’s Home Living & Interiors here. It’s a great read, no matter what your interior design preference.

If you liked this, why not have a look at the rest of my artwork on my site here and please do follow me on my social network pages on Instagram and Pinterest to see up to date art and what is going on behind the scenes in my studio.

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