Helen Kitson Interview
Helen Kitson | @helen_kitson_art
Tell us a bit about yourself. Who you are, where you're from and what you do!
My name is Helen and I live in Worcester, England. I have two grown up children, a husband, and two rescue cats. Four days a week I work as a legal secretary, but when I’m not doing that I can mostly be found in my kitchen making collages and assemblages. They say life begins at 40, but some of the things of which I’m most proud I achieved at over 50: a Master’s degree, the publication of two novels, and my reinvention of myself as an artist.
How did you get your start as an artist?
I discovered mixed media collage back in the early 2000s. I was particularly drawn to the work of Lynne Perrella and Traci Bunkers and for a couple of years I dabbled with collage journaling. Life got in the way, as it so often does, and I didn’t find a way back into making art until I took a break from paid employment to study for an MA in art history. The process of studying art history formally, combined with having time on my hands due to the Covid lockdown, rekindled my desire to make art.
“They say life begins at 40, but some of the things of which I’m most proud I achieved at over 50: a Master’s degree, the publication of two novels, and my reinvention of myself as an artist.”
What do you love most about what you do?
Probably the fact that my chosen form of art making (mixed media collage) is so accessible. Drawing skills are optional, and the materials I use are mostly second-hand and picked up for very little money in charity shops. In my artwork I love to incorporate items I find on walks or on holiday (bits of rusted metal, feathers, skeleton leaves). It’s that idea of finding art and beauty in discarded objects that first drew me so viscerally to the work of Kurt Schwitters and made me realise that this was the kind of art I wanted to make.
What do you find the most challenging?
The temptation to repeat myself. To overcome that, I deliberately push myself out of my comfort zone. Sometimes I end up making something I truly hate, but I would rather do that than endlessly create the same kind of composition with just a few variations each time. Many of my pieces are re-worked, and I often feel it’s those layers of ‘didn’t quite work stuff’ that make the final piece so satisfying. I very much admire artists who experiment with different styles and techniques – that sense of wanting to explore all the potentials art has to offer and really push the envelope.
When things get tough, where do you find the inspiration to keep moving forward?
My main source of inspiration comes from the many amazing artists I follow on Instagram. The breadth of talent, and the variety of work on display, is a constant source of inspiration. The art community on Instagram is also one I’ve found to be incredibly supportive, particularly the collage artists. Many of the artists I interact with on Instagram understand the struggles of finding time and space to create art in the midst of all the other calls upon our time.
Who is another artist you admire most and why?
There are so many artists I admire for many different reasons. In terms of living artists, I would have to cite Crystal Neubauer and Jane Chipp as being hugely influential in terms of my own growth as an artist. Both massively talented mixed media artists, they have also written books (Jane Chipp’s co-authored with Jack Ravi) that are filled with inspiration.
Above all, the artists/authors display such a generosity of spirit in sharing so many of their techniques and tips.
Tell me something unusual that makes you happy.
Most of the things that make me happy wouldn’t seem at all unusual to other collage artists (such as finding a beautifully battered 19 th century book in a charity shops for a couple of pounds, or a gorgeous piece of rusty metal while out walking), but one non-art thing that makes me happy is making soup (and eating the results, of course). In the main I’m an indifferent cook, but I make great soup!
Anything weird on your bucket list?
I’ve been researching my family tree for over 20 years and would very much like to visit every place associated with my direct ancestors (where they lived and where they worked). This actually isn’t as difficult as it sounds, since they didn’t travel far and my pilgrimage would entail travelling to only a couple of English counties plus bits of Wales. I do feel very connected to my roots, and I think that’s one of the reasons why I’m so drawn to using old documents and other pieces of ephemera in my work, keeping that thread between past and present alive.
Top three songs you keep on repeat:
I generally have my music on shuffle mode, but if I’ve had a long day at work I blast out proper bangers with big hooks on repeat. My blow-the-bad-day-away songs don’t really reflect my music tastes as a whole (my go-to genre is mid-80s/early 90s indie music) but my top three songs to have on repeat are ‘Hey Brother’ by Avicii, ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ by Oasis, and ‘Mmmbop’ by Hanson.
“I would also like to take more risks in terms of showing and sharing my work, but above all to stay open to opportunities without worrying too much about ‘making it’ so that I can carry on enjoying what I do, which for me is the most important thing.”
Tell us about your vision for the future? Go big! We want to root you on!
I would like to create more assemblages, more intricate and larger pieces, but one other thingI would love to do is to create a chapbook combining art and poetry. I have a background as a poet and novelist, and although I don’t see me ever writing another novel, I think there is still much I would like to explore in terms of blending visual art with poetry. I would also like to take more risks in terms of showing and sharing my work, but above all to stay open to opportunities without worrying too much about ‘making it’ so that I can carry on enjoying what I do, which for me is the most important thing.
Helen Kitson
Instagram: @helen_kitson_art
My blog: helenkitson.art
My Etsy shop: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/helenkitson
Twitter: twitter.com/Jemima_Mae_7
Pinterest: www.pinterest.co.uk/helen_kitson_collage/_created
