News > Helen Duckworth Exhibit at the Ellis-Nicholson Gallery

"Dream Habitat II"

Looking for a refreshing take on expressions of peace in painting? Look no further than Helen Duckworth‘s new exhibit, “Whispers & Song.” Duckworth has carefully selected these pieces to represent an overall feeling of peace, for instance “the baby in its mother’s arms, the lovers in gentle touch or the woman quietly alone.”

Duckworth was born in Yorkshire, England and began painting as a teenager. She emigrated to the United States in the 1960s and attended the Art Students League and the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where she concentrated on drawing and portraiture. She moved to South Carolina in 1977 and since then has allowed the beautiful marshland scenery to inspire her art.

"Keepers of the Song"

Helen Duckworth describes her inspiration as trying to “…pull the image from [her] unconscious plane. It is usually an image or images that have been dancing around in [her] mind for some time and are usually a direct response to something playing out in [her] every day life.” She describes her art as a process from the line to the curve to a complete being, which makes sense when you see the curves present in all of her paintings. The limbs of her subjects swirl around the canvases, creating a sense of connection to one’s own self and loved ones.

The opening reception for “Whispers & Song” will be held this Friday, May 31 from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the Ellis-Nicholson Gallery. The exhibition will be available for viewing from May 24 – June 30 at the gallery, which is a contemporary art gallery  located at 1 1/2 Broad Street on Gallery Row downtown.

words: Nash Steele