Helen Ferry’s symbolic and archetypal artworks gain inspiration from drawings she produces in her series of artist's books. Each drawing represents a moment in time where the whole self can be visualised actively at work. Her unique, individualised motifs are then incorporated into more complex artworks to communicate the presence of hidden worlds.
Communicating themes of transformation, redemption, flux and transcendence, her imaginative universe evokes recognition of a mythological, multilayered shared consciousness. Helen’s work has also been informed by her Greek heritage, travels to Europe and South East Asia, alchemical symbolism and mystics such as Hildegarde of Bingen.
The unique hand drawn characters from Helen’s Kindred Spirit series of art books are often further extended to create playful symbolic compositions, evoking hidden magical realms inhabited by archetypal beings.
Mandala Art book 10 (of 10) Transition #28 pigment ink on archival paperMandala Art book 10 (of 10) Transition #29 pigment ink on archival paperKindred Spirits Transitions Art book 1 (of 1) #01 pigment ink on archival paperKindred Spirits Transitions Art book 1 (of 1) #02 pigment ink on archival paper
Helen’s digital art includes the Ekat, Totem and Mandala series, which blend drawings with digital technologies. Playing with multiplicity, repetition, chance and pattern she creates new and unexpected work.
The digital Totem series combines hand drawn motifs with paint and other textures to create biomorphic hybrid totemic structures that resemble plant/animal/insect/cellular iconography that elicit unconscious associations.
Totem series Tower 01 Giclee archival fine art print
Inspired by South East Asian textiles, the Ekat digital series combines hand drawn motifs and paint textures to create symbolic landscapes.
Ekat series Flight Giclee archival fine art printEkat series The river runs deep Giclee archival fine art printMandala series Rendevous 03 Giclee archival fine art print
The Probability series takes hand drawn images and extends them using repetition, pattern and digital technologies to explore themes of chance, probabilities, and infinite realities.
Mixed media cutouts on wood, such as the Shield, Talisman and Mandala series, combine traditional art media with found objects and materials to create tactile works that express a rich visual vocabulary.
Psyche Mixed media on woodTree Of Life Mixed media on woodSwan Mixed media on woodPhyllomancy Mixed media on wood
Selected pen drawings from a series of art books spanning over 20 years.
Mandala art book 4 (of 10) #46 pigment ink on archival paperMandala art book 7 (of 10) #35 pigment ink on archival paperBeings From the Art of Mind #06 pigment ink on archival paperBeings From the Art of Mind #13 pigment ink on archival paper
These Acrylic works on paper and canvas strive to reveal snapshots of normally unseen worlds in the universe of the unconscious.
Arise acrylic paint on paperTranscendence acrylic paint on paperSophia acrylic paint on canvasSecret Of The Golden Flower acrylic paint on paper
About the Artist
Helen Ferry’s symbolic and archetypal artworks gain inspiration from drawings she produces in her series of artist's books. Each drawing represents a moment in time where the whole self can be visualised actively at work. Her unique, individualised motifs are then incorporated into more complex artworks to communicate the presence of hidden worlds. Communicating themes of transformation, redemption, flux and transcendence, her imaginative universe evokes recognition of a mythological, multilayered shared consciousness.
Helen’s work has also been informed by her Greek heritage, travels to Europe and South East Asia, alchemical symbolism and mystics such as Hildegarde of Bingen.
Helen has exhibited both nationally and internationally, having solo shows at the Gosford Regional Gallery and the Holdsworth Galleries in Sydney. Her work has also been shown in many group exhibitions in Australia as well as in France, Germany and the United States.
Her professional career has also included working as a Designer, Animator, Arts Writer, Copywriter and University Lecturer and Tutor in Fine Arts, Multimedia, Illustration and Design.Academic achievements include a Master of Arts Practice (Visual Arts), Graduate Diploma of Arts (Visual Arts) and Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Helen has been living with a progressive, physically disabling illness since 2012, which has simultaneously limited her art making options and freed her to create the Kindred Spirits universe.
Exhibition History
Solo
2003 - Gosford Regional Gallery, Gosford NSW, Australia
1994 - Holdsworth Galleries, Woollahra NSW, Australia
1994 - Whole on the Wall Gallery, Surry Hills NSW, Australia
1993 - The Gallery Café, Surry Hills NSW, Australia
1992 - The Gallery Café, Surry Hills NSW, Australia
Group
2009 - Arthouse Sketchbook Project - Travelling exhibition - USA
2008 - Babbio Centre, Stevens Institute of Technology, N.J. USA
2007 - New York Hall of Science, 'Digital 07', Pattern-Finding, USA
2006 - Kudos Gallery - Paddington, NSW, Australia
2006 - La Sous-Station Lebon, Nice, France
2006 - Mazooka Showroom, Kastanienallee, Berlin
2006 - Making Badlands - exhibition and journal issue #13
2005 - Making Badlands - Conference - CQU Bundaberg Australia
2005 - International Digital Art Award - New Media
2004 - Art Dept International Competition
2004 - Digit Expo 2004 - Sydney, Australia
2003 - Gosford Regional Gallery - 'BodySpeak' NSW Australia
2002 - Global Experimental Poetry Net-Action
2002 - Art Dept International Competition
2002 - ExitArt -' Reactions ' New York, U.S.A.
2000 - Newcastle University - 'Staff Show' NSW, Australia
1999 - Art Dept International Competition
1995 - Holdsworth Galleries Woollahra NSW, Australia
1994 - Gosford Arts Centre NSW, Australia
1992 - Taylormade Gallery Darlinghurst NSW, Australia
1992 - 10 Taylor Street Gallery Darlinghurst NSW, Australia
1992 - The Gallery Café Surry Hills NSW, Australia
1991 - Arthaus Gallery Darlinghurst NSW, Australia
