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Helen Tabor: Small Mysteries

Past exhibition
13 - 28 August 2022 Aldeburgh
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Artworks
  • Helen Tabor After the Bath Oil on board 27 x 29 "
    Helen Tabor
    After the Bath
    Oil on board
    27 x 29 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor After the Swim Oil on board 21 x 18 "
    Helen Tabor
    After the Swim
    Oil on board
    21 x 18 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Autumn Love Oil on board 27 x 34 "
    Helen Tabor
    Autumn Love
    Oil on board
    27 x 34 "
  • Helen Tabor Bathers, 2022 Oil on board 28.5 x 21.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Bathers, 2022
    Oil on board
    28.5 x 21.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Botanic Garden, 2022 Oil on board 19 x 20 "
    Helen Tabor
    Botanic Garden, 2022
    Oil on board
    19 x 20 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Boy with a Dog Oil on board 19 x 9 "
    Helen Tabor
    Boy with a Dog
    Oil on board
    19 x 9 "
  • Helen Tabor Canal Side, Venice, 2022 Oil on board 23 x 35 "
    Helen Tabor
    Canal Side, Venice, 2022
    Oil on board
    23 x 35 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Cherry Oil on board 20 x 20 "
    Helen Tabor
    Cherry
    Oil on board
    20 x 20 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Clown with Mandolin Oil on board 21.5 x 23 "
    Helen Tabor
    Clown with Mandolin
    Oil on board
    21.5 x 23 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Country Dance, 2022 Oil on board 13 x 11.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Country Dance, 2022
    Oil on board
    13 x 11.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Drying Her Hair Oil on board 27 x 29 "
    Helen Tabor
    Drying Her Hair
    Oil on board
    27 x 29 "
  • Helen Tabor Estuary and Pale Grasses Oil on board 22 x 32.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Estuary and Pale Grasses
    Oil on board
    22 x 32.5 "
  • Helen Tabor Evening Light, 2022 Oil on board 31 x 29 "
    Helen Tabor
    Evening Light, 2022
    Oil on board
    31 x 29 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Evening Tide, 2022 Oil on board 9 x 15 "
    Helen Tabor
    Evening Tide, 2022
    Oil on board
    9 x 15 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Farm Track and Larches Oil on board 11 x 13.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Farm Track and Larches
    Oil on board
    11 x 13.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Field Edge Oil on board 17 x 14 "
    Helen Tabor
    Field Edge
    Oil on board
    17 x 14 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor First Frost Oil on board 8 x 10 "
    Helen Tabor
    First Frost
    Oil on board
    8 x 10 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Girl in a Black Dress Oil on board 18 x 9.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Girl in a Black Dress
    Oil on board
    18 x 9.5 "
  • Helen Tabor Girl with a Cat Oil on board 19 x 9 "
    Helen Tabor
    Girl with a Cat
    Oil on board
    19 x 9 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Girl with a Child Oil on board 11.5 x 12 "
    Helen Tabor
    Girl with a Child
    Oil on board
    11.5 x 12 "
  • Helen Tabor Girl with a Rose Oil on board 18 x 11.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Girl with a Rose
    Oil on board
    18 x 11.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Italian Window Oil on canvas 30 x 30 "
    Helen Tabor
    Italian Window
    Oil on canvas
    30 x 30 "
  • Helen Tabor January Morning, 2022 Oil on board 21.5 x 22.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    January Morning, 2022
    Oil on board
    21.5 x 22.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Kitchen Shelf with Painted Egg Oil on board 34 x 39.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Kitchen Shelf with Painted Egg
    Oil on board
    34 x 39.5 "
  • Helen Tabor Light and Shade, Venice Oil on board 14 x 22 "
    Helen Tabor
    Light and Shade, Venice
    Oil on board
    14 x 22 "
  • Helen Tabor Listen to the Waves, 2022 Oil on board 8 x 10 "
    Helen Tabor
    Listen to the Waves, 2022
    Oil on board
    8 x 10 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Making Marmalde Oil on board 27.5 x 29.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Making Marmalde
    Oil on board
    27.5 x 29.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor May Blossom Oil on board 9 x 10 "
    Helen Tabor
    May Blossom
    Oil on board
    9 x 10 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Midsummer Night Oil on board 23 x 15 "
    Helen Tabor
    Midsummer Night
    Oil on board
    23 x 15 "
  • Helen Tabor Night Journey Oil on board 13 x 10 "
    Helen Tabor
    Night Journey
    Oil on board
    13 x 10 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Rocks and Waves Oil on board 8 x 9.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Rocks and Waves
    Oil on board
    8 x 9.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Rooftop, Venice Oil on board 28.5 x 21.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Rooftop, Venice
    Oil on board
    28.5 x 21.5 "
  • Helen Tabor Running Through the Dunes, 2022 Oil on board 17.5 x 22.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Running Through the Dunes, 2022
    Oil on board
    17.5 x 22.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Sheep amongst the Thistles Oil on board 19 x 21 "
    Helen Tabor
    Sheep amongst the Thistles
    Oil on board
    19 x 21 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Sicilian Horse Oil on board 23 x 35 "
    Helen Tabor
    Sicilian Horse
    Oil on board
    23 x 35 "
  • Helen Tabor Sleeping Clown Oil on board 11.5 x 18 "
    Helen Tabor
    Sleeping Clown
    Oil on board
    11.5 x 18 "
  • Helen Tabor Spring Flowers Oil on board 15.5 x 12.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Spring Flowers
    Oil on board
    15.5 x 12.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Spring Tide Oil on board 27 x 33.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Spring Tide
    Oil on board
    27 x 33.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Summer Bride Oil on board 19.5 x 9.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Summer Bride
    Oil on board
    19.5 x 9.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor The Dancer and the Clown Oil on board 20 x 21.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    The Dancer and the Clown
    Oil on board
    20 x 21.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor The Florist's Window, Spring Bulbs Oil on board 23 x 23 "
    Helen Tabor
    The Florist's Window, Spring Bulbs
    Oil on board
    23 x 23 "
  • Helen Tabor The King's Daughter Oil on board 10 x 10 "
    Helen Tabor
    The King's Daughter
    Oil on board
    10 x 10 "
  • Helen Tabor The Shepherd's Hut Oil on board 21 x 23 "
    Helen Tabor
    The Shepherd's Hut
    Oil on board
    21 x 23 "
  • Helen Tabor Tiny Baby Oil on board 23 x 15 "
    Helen Tabor
    Tiny Baby
    Oil on board
    23 x 15 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Towards Jura, 2022 Oil on board 25.5 x 35 "
    Helen Tabor
    Towards Jura, 2022
    Oil on board
    25.5 x 35 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Trees Beside the Burn Oil on board 30 x 32 "
    Helen Tabor
    Trees Beside the Burn
    Oil on board
    30 x 32 "
  • Helen Tabor Valentina, 2022 Oil on board 12 X 10 "
    Helen Tabor
    Valentina, 2022
    Oil on board
    12 X 10 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Walk with Me Oil on board 34 x 35.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Walk with Me
    Oil on board
    34 x 35.5 "
  • Helen Tabor Walking Through the Snowy Wood Oil on board 19 x 27 "
    Helen Tabor
    Walking Through the Snowy Wood
    Oil on board
    19 x 27 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Watering the Seedlings, 2022 Oil on board 25 x 29.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Watering the Seedlings, 2022
    Oil on board
    25 x 29.5 "
    Sold
  • Helen Tabor Winter Garden Oil on board 21.5 x 22.5 "
    Helen Tabor
    Winter Garden
    Oil on board
    21.5 x 22.5 "
  • Helen Tabor Winter Window with Dried Clematis Flower Oil on board 31 x 39 "
    Helen Tabor
    Winter Window with Dried Clematis Flower
    Oil on board
    31 x 39 "
  • Helen Tabor Young Clown with a Bouquet Oil on board 12 x 10 "
    Helen Tabor
    Young Clown with a Bouquet
    Oil on board
    12 x 10 "
    Sold
About
Helen Tabor Clown with Mandolin Oil on board 21.5 x 23 "
Helen Tabor
Clown with Mandolin
Oil on board
21.5 x 23 "
This collection of paintings was made during a time of uncertainty, when memories, imagined narratives and the delights of immediate surroundings were made more acute and vivid than ever before. Themes of the sea, trees in autumn, winter and summer emerge alongside images of the garden and interiors inspired by Picasso and Bonnard. Paintings of winter also form a continuing thread, with ethereal figures appearing as if one with the pale background, while there is a similar search for mystery in several paintings inspired by Shakespeare's King Lear and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
 
The landscapes and seascapes are expressive in style with large brushstrokes and buttery paint, energetically applied, creating a feeling of expanse consistent with wide open spaces, wind in the trees or snow on grass. In the figure paintings, a freedom of style in the background contrasts with the more defined foreground creating both tension and balance. Often, tiny figures dance against a grand backdrop of waves or trees, or stand quietly in front of a large window of simple textured white.
 
Although varying in subject matter, the technique used in all the paintings is similar, beginning with the laying down of an idea in the form of a casual sketch which may capture the essence of the feeling I would like to achieve, perhaps the movement of figures or a facial expression. From there, a collaged Chinese paper base is laid on a board, usually followed by a raw sienna ground, whereby the paint is applied in a scrubbed, rigorous way so that brush marks often show through subsequent layers. Ideas are then developed loosely with a roller, palette knife or large brush, leaving a textured, broken surface on top of which the image evolves. Once the painting process begins, a flow is achieved, the work progressing of its own volition, changing as colours appear and the composition evolves. Sometimes paint is rubbed away to reveal the base layer as the painting grows and changes, constantly moving towards and away from definition.
Catalogue
  • Helen Tabor

    Helen Tabor

    Small Mysteries Aldeburgh, 2022 Read more

Related artist

  • Helen Tabor

    Helen Tabor

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3 Seymour Place, London, W1H 5AZ  |   +44 (0)207 935 3595

175 High Street, Aldeburgh, IP15 5AN  |   +44 (0)1728 453 743

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