Artist’s Bio

Helen Burroughs is a native of California and has traveled the world in her career in international trade.  She developed an interest in other cultures while spending time in over 30 countries.  She always found the time to explore the sights, the sounds, the art and the gardens of the places she visited.Ten years ago she decided to devote her energies full time to her art.  She uses a broad range of techniques and concepts.  She works in oil, acrylics and oil pastel.  She also utilizes her interest in textile art, including embroidery, to enhance her work.She divides her time between her home in Northern Virginia, her studio on the Northern Neck and with her family in California.

Statement

I grew up in 1960s Los Angeles with the warmth of the sun; palm trees; ocean breezes; and the sound of cool jazz.  And gardens filled with vibrant colors of bougainvillea, roses, and camellias.  When I enjoy the quiet of the day, memories of these sensations lead me to explore color, texture, and movement. Color has a great impact on my art. I love the texture which I create with silk, color, gels, and pastes.  I use a different medium. My work ranges from representational to abstract.  

The medium is selected according to my mood and what it is I want to express:  oil when I decide to create serenity in representational landscapes; acrylic when I am in the mood to enjoy the quick strokes and movement to create abstracts; and oil pastels, with their creamy texture and many colors, which provide the ability to create wonderful shading for floral subjects. I do not feel the need to tell a story in my paintings.  I want the viewer to feel happy, or perhaps intrigued when they enjoy the color, the movement and the texture of my art.