Approved: 16.08.2006

Helen Snell

Artist, Gallery educator, Researcher

Approved: 16.08.2006

The focus of my work is the relationship between hand making and digital making, craft and fine art, the unique and the mass produced. I am fascinated by the concept of the imperfect edition and in the production of the repeatable physical artefact. My work explores how extensively the digital file can be downloaded to be manufactured through an ever expanding range of outputs and processes.  By exploring the concept of the multiple and issues of authorship, I hope to reflect on the intrinsic value of the material and edition size as markers of a political agenda. 

Read more ...

 
 
 
 

News

     

    Artist Statement

    The focus of my work is the relationship between hand making and digital making, craft and fine art, the unique and the mass produced. I am fascinated by the concept of the imperfect edition and in the production of the repeatable physical artefact. My work explores how extensively the digital file can be downloaded to be manufactured through an ever expanding range of outputs and processes.  By exploring the concept of the multiple and issues of authorship, I hope to reflect on the intrinsic value of the material and edition size as markers of a political agenda. 

    My work is generated from line drawings and vector files to create digital designs for water jet cutting and laser cutting in a variety of resistant and non- resistant materials. These lines represent physical edges that define a positive surface against a cutaway.

     

    l joined Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust in June 2022 as artist in residence, working on a range of arts activities to explore and critically engage with the wellbeing of staff. The 24 month residency project, which has been funded by NHS Charities Together – Arts in Recovery Funds, will see me collaborate with a number of teams to create temporary and permanent artworks. https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk/about-us/news-and-publications/news/2022/10/welcome-to-our-new-artist-in-residence-24343/

    Work in Public Collections

    The National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Historic Dockyards,  Fleet Air Arm Museum, Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower, The National Centre for Craft and Design, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Hartlepool Museum, The University of Exeter, The Captain Cook Memorial Museum Whitby.

    CV & Education

     Qualifications and training

    1995 - Illustration, Royal College of Art, London

    1995 - MA Fine Art Printmaking, Camberwell College of Arts, London

    1986 - BA (Hons) French and Fine Art , Exeter University 

    1985 - Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts de Dijon, France

     

    Competitions, prizes and awards

    2020 Arts Council England: Emergency Response Fund

    2019 Normanby Charitable Trust. Grant for  the making of a site specific work for The Orientation Room, The Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby

    2018 -  2020  Grants for the Arts award, National Lottery through Arts Council England, UK. For research and development of Neogeographies, a collaboration and touring exhibition, working with The Box Plymouth, The Devon Guild of Craftsmen and The Captain Cook Memorial Museum Whitby 

    2015 Selected for Made@EU international Fablab project launched by Plymouth College of Art

    2014 Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust Award                                                                         

    2014 Quenington Sculpture Foundation bursary

    2012 -  2013 Grants for the Arts award for research and development of new work, National Lottery through Arts Council England, UK

    2010  Exeter Arts Council Grant for installation for The Joy Collective tour, Exeter,CCANW. 

    The Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust Award for laser cutting, Plymouth College of Art

    2007   Awards for All grant to fund costume and set design for The Winter's Tale, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon.                                                                                                                

    2007 Prize Winner Cheltenham Illustration Awards, Pittville Studios, University of Gloucester,

    2006  Arts Council Grant, Art Farm Project, Devon

    2003 FUSE bursary from Compassion in World Farming and Littoral Arts to produce work in response to the ethics of biotechnology

    2002  Exeter Arts Council grant to finance residency and installation at the Phoenix Gallery ‘I don’t want to go to school.’

     

    Residencies

    2022- 2024 Artist in residence, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, funded by NHS Charities Together,  producing both reflexive and collaborative work to support and repond to issues of staff well being and burn out.

    2020 - 2022 Artist in residence with the Dept. of Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology at University of Exeter, working with a national team on a UKRI Covid-19 rapid response project, funded by the ESRC to explore identity, inequality and the media in Brexit-covid-19-Britain.

    2018   Muir is Tir. Land and sea residency with Sail Britain and An Lanntair. Outer Hebrides

    2016 - 2018 Art Machina & Museum Machina digital arts residency with Devon Arts in Schools Initiative, RAMM Exeter and The Box, Plymouth

    2017  The Observatory Residency,  Bucklers Hard, New Forest National Park

    2013 - 2016  The National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Historic Dockyards. Inaugural artist in residence

    2009 -  2010  AA2A residency  in laser cutting, Plymouth College of Art and Design

    Public commissions

    2020  ‘Everything has changed. Nothing has changed. Change is coming.’ The Arts Institute  Plymouth Visual Art Commission – Covid-19,  for a collaboration with Monica-Shanta exploring the legacies of historical colonialism.

    2016   RED WHITE and  BLUE  multi site laser cut installations on board HMS Trincomalee, in Hartlepool Art Gallery and Museum, and at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Hartlepool. 

    2015  ‘Gather-ing,’ Contemporary craft commission for the Priory, Stoke Sub Hamdon, Somerset. Initiated by Somerset Art Works, and the National Trust. Curated by Craftspace.

    2012   NEOREPLICANTS, Exeter Phoenix Digital Art 3D print commission and exhibition working in partnership with the Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing,  Department of Engineering. Exeter University.

    2012  'The Joy of Making', commission for installation of 50 laser cut paper vessels, Wolverhampton Art Gallery

    2011  NEW, FOUND TREASURES Commission for a series of laser cut paper vessels for the collection, National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Historic Dockyards

    2009  LIQUID LANDSCAPES: Collaboration with U.S. choreographer Stephan Koplowitz, Dartington Arts commission for 300 paper vessels, site specific performance at Mayflower Steps, Plymouth

    2007  Commissioned to design a series of film trophies for Two Short Nights film festival awards, Exeter Phoenix Projects

    2005   FIVE MAGAZINE curated by Gavin Turk, Published by Portfolio Five, Exeter

    Solo exhibitions

    2021 TRACKED and TRACED,   Science Gallery Detroit.  Interactive app designed in collaboration with Dr Laszlo Horvath.

    2019 - 2020  NEOGEOGRAPHIES  a national touring exhibition.  The Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby Museum,  The Museum of Whitby Jet and  The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, funded by National Lottery through Arts Council England , supported by The Box Plymouth

    2016- 2017 A LONG SHADOW  National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Historic Dockyards

    2013 - 2015  BURNT OUT, national touring solo exhibition - Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey, 20- 21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe, Chapel Gallery Ormskirk, Shire Hall Gallery Stafford, Hartlepool Art Gallery, funded by National Lottery, through Arts Council England.

    2014   A SHORT FUZE  Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower, Gosport, a series of site specific sculptural and wall based installations

    2012  THE JOY OF MAKING installation of 50 laser cut paper vessels, Wolverhampton Art Gallery

    2008   A Strange Harvest, Installation and 3D print works, Edinburgh Printmakers (Galleries 2 & 3)

    2007  The Winter's Tale Set and costume Design, Dartington Hall, Coleton Fishacre

    2007 The Animals Went in Two by Two, 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe

    2006  The Animals went in Two by Two, Fold Gallery, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria

    2002  I don't want to go to school. Installation and residency, Exeter Phoenix

    1997  The Same but Different.  3D printed constructions, London Print Workshop

     

    Selected group exhibitions

    2018

    Muir is Tìr – Sailing Residency Exhibition – ‘Land and Sea. ’ An Lanntair Arts Centre, Stornoway, Outer Hebrides

    2017

     ‘Gather-ing'    Somerset Rural Life Museum, Abbey Barn, Glastonbury. Initiated by Somerset Art Works, and the National Trust. Curated by Craftspace.

    Inside the Sick Bag: Curious Collections, works by Helen Snell, Nick Cave and Lydia Leith. K6 Gallery Southampton

    2016

    Craft Emergency. Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth

    2015

    Ffolio. Llantarnam Grange

    Paper.  Salisbury Arts Centre

    Fresh Air Sculpture 2015. Quenington Old Rectory.

    From Cowboys to Astronauts – towards a circular economy, Exeter University

    2014

    Craft and Conflict,  Bilston Craft Gallery, Wolverhampton                                                           

    The Art of Remembering, Rheged Centre, Penrith.                                                                

    Oriel Davies Open 2014     Newtown, Powys.                                                                      

    Materials Matter. Devon Guild of Craftsmen

    2013

    Growing: Celebrating our past, exploring our future, National Centre for Craft and Design, Sleaford. Leading figures in the sphere of contemporary craft and design, artists, curators, writers and influencers were invited to nominate work by emerging and established artists who will be the innovators of the future.                                                                                          

    Hand-made Future, Blank Media Collective, Manchester.                                                         

    intoLACE. Thelma Hulbert Gallery and Devon Guild of Craftsmen                                          

    The Journey: Exploring the Nature of Mending. Wallford Mill Crafts                   

    Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London

    2012

    ALLOTMENT curated by TROVE, mac Birmingham                                                                

    Feeling the Pressure, Rhyl Library, Museum & Arts Centre                                                  

    National Sculpture Prize  Finalist, Broomhill Art and Sculpture Foundation, Barnstaple

    Axis Artist of the Month (December)   

    2011

    LOVELACE International Lace Awards,  Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. Finalist.                   

    10 X 10, 20 -21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe                                                                 

    EVOLVER Prize 2011, Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton                                          

    Illustrious, The Point, Eastleigh                                                                                            

    New Territories, The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey                                             

    'Paper', Craft House Concept, Edinburgh                                                                                

     Up Close, Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey

    2010

    TACO Torre Abbey Contemporary Open, Torquay

    2009

    CLOSURE, artworks-MK, Milton Keynes                                                                                  

    Gallery Artists, EDGAR MODERN, Bath                                                                                

    Multiples Cabinet, MONSTER TRUCK Gallery, Dublin                                                            

    PLACE IDENTITY MEMORY, Stranraer Museum, Gracefield Arts Centre, Dumfries                

    TACO - Torre Abbey Contemporary Open, Torre Abbey Historic House, Torquay

    2008

    Blank Canvas, Torre Abbey, Torquay                                                                                

    Cheltenham Illustration Awards, Pittville Studios, University of Gloucester

    2007

     'As if one wasn't enough', 20-21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe

    2006

    Pinstripes and Pistons, 20 -21 Visual Arts Centre, Scunthorpe                                             

    The Art Farm Project, Rocombe farm, Devon

    2005

    Boxing Clever. International portfolio of paper engineering, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol                                                                                                                                        

    IMPACT 4 International Printmaking Conference, Muzeum Narodowe w Pozaniu, Pozan, Poland                                                                                                                                    

    Pulp Fantasy. An exhibition of paper art, 20-21 Visual Arts centre, Scunthorpe              

    snowcase#5 an installation of artists' multiples curated by Steve Messam, Fold Gallery, Cumbria

    2002

    FUSE. An exhibition of art inspired by biotechnology, ICA, The Mall, London

    1999

    National Print Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London

     

                                                                                              

    Educational experience

    2015 - Current   Visiting lecturer and Fablab technical support Plymouth College of Art

    2000  Head of Art, Stoodley Knowle School

    1998  Part- time teacher of Art, Chigwell School, Essex

    1995  Head of Art, Davenant Foundation School, Loughton, Essex

     

    Site specific

    2011  EMBARK: Ferry Art, King Harry Ferry, Truro

    2010  Meleager's Garland. Site specific installation curated by Anneka French, Sir Joseph Bank's Conservatory, Lincoln                                                                                                  

    JOY COLLECTIVE, Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World, Exeter

     2007  Le Jour le Plus Bon, La caserne des 26000 , 17 rue du 26eme Dragons, Dijon

     

    Talks/lectures

    2019  The Plymouth Athenaeum  New Perspectives on the Voyages of Captain Cook

    2018  University of Bristol The Body of the Combatant in the Classical World colloquium supported by The Institute for Greece, Rome and the Classical Tradition, University of Bristol. 

    2017 DAISI/Juneau Projects: ART MACHINA professional development , Exeter

    2014  National Museum of Wales, Cardiff : Behind the Scenes of the Museum: Artists in Collections, Axis Symposium supported by Arts Council Wales

    2013 Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal : Museum, Artists and Collections, hosted by Museum Development North West and Axis Web

     

    Other

    2015- 2017  Trustee, Devon Guild of Craftsmen

    2013  Elected member , Devon Guild of Craftsmen

    2012  Elle Decoration Hot List, Elle Decoration April 2012