Hi! I am Helen Hopkins, and I have been painting for some time now, taking it up after retiring from work. I livein the NW of England, having moved here some years ago from the South. I started painting mainly in acrylics, moved on to watercolours and now enjoy particularly oils. When painting people, I look for the character seen in the face, rather than beauty. I enjoy trying to interpret the texture of materials into paint, and when painting landscapes, I often use photos taken on holiday, although also using rough sketches in watercolour pencils first. Sometimes I respond to world events - like 9-11 Ground Zero or the Tsunami. After working energetically for an exhibition in 2006, I am now being more relaxed and painting for the pure pleasure of putting paint to paper or canvas. However, I am considering a theme for another exhibition, for sometime in late summer 2007.
