Painter Helen Gregory Breathes New Life into Death …

Helen Gregory, “Desiccate III”, Acrylic on canvas, 54" x 48", 2007. Image used with permission from the artist.

Have you ever felt an instant connection to an artist’s work? In the work of Newfoundland painter Helen Gregory, I’ve found a kindred spirit…

A Withered Rose and Dead Sparrow Caught My Eye…

I first spied Gregory’s work a few years ago while scouring art magazines for collage fragments. Her painting: “Desiccate III” of a withered rose and dead sparrow caught my eye. I didn’t fully understand the context of her work then, but it touched a dark, sentimental place in my soul. To my surprise last month, while wandering through the Museum of Nature here in Ottawa, I discovered her exhibition “Unrequited Death”. While the somewhat morbid nature-inspired themes of her paintings aren’t for everyone, I was instantly drawn to them. Noting a familiar group of South American bird specimens I’d used in a couple of my collages in one of her paintings, I was thrilled to see Gregory shared a similar fascination for taxidermy as well as the printed patterns of textile designer William Morris. I loved the way she incorporated the latter into the backdrops of a number of her pieces. As an artist who myself has held a life-long obsession with death and memory, I found Gregory’s offerings rendered in the finest detail, most exquisite colours and intricate patterning hard to resist! Lingering between the moment of death and disintegration, I sensed the artist’s need to draw one last breath from what remains of life before it passes into eternity. In a spiritual vein, I felt, through the act of painting, she transfigures the animal corpses and objects she depicts. Enlarging them to a majestic scale and rendering their minutest detail, she imbues them with highly-charged emotional depth and personal meaning.

Image Left: Michelle Casey, "My Greatest Fear", Collage / Mixed Media Journal Page, 6.5" x 8", February 12 2010; text: "My greatest fear is to die without realizing my dreams." Image Right: Helen Gregory, “Blue Tanagers”, Acrylic on canvas, 72" x 54", 2009. Image used with permission from the artist.

A Darkness Beneath Her Sweet Exterior…

As well as visiting the exhibition, I also attended a talk given by Gregory. Dressed in a deep peach dress as bright as the plumage of the exotic birds she depicts, Helen Gregory’s cheerful presence lit up the room like a ray of sunshine… when she spoke however, a disquieting silence filled the air as she revealed the contents she kept in a chest of drawers beneath her bed… natural specimens and dead things sometimes in the process of decaying; unnatural things for a six-year old to collect. As I listened to her, the hair on my arms stood on end – I sensed the underpinnings of a great character for a Stephen King novel or Tim Burton film – a small curious soul more than a little intrigued by “nature morte”! Like her work, Gregory’s description of herself as a collector and painter of natural, sometimes morbid curiosities such as dead birds, hybrid human/animal skeletons, hornet’s nests and giant squids (like the ones found on ancient maps) hints at a darkness beneath her sweet exterior. Intrigued, I was eager to learn more about the artist and her work.

Building Her Very Own Cabinet of Curiosities…

The daughter of a professor of chemistry, Gregory reveals she might have turned out to be a biologist or a doctor. Instead, like a post Victorian-day naturalist and scientist (and interior designer I might add*), Gregory’s passion for building her very own cabinet of curiosities of specimens continued into adulthood and art studio. Initially, she photographed and painted images of the dead birds she found in her driveway or along walks. On one such scary venture, while photographing a young dead crow, she found herself encircled by a menacing flock of them who screeched at her! This incident affected her intensely and inspired her piece: “Crow Funeral”. Gregory has many intriguing tales that surround the creation of her paintings. Nowadays though, she doesn’t have to fear for her safety as news of her fame as a painter of dead things spread, she gained access to centuries-old museum specimens and her work blossomed further.

Visual Artist and Curator…

Her passion for natural specimens has led to her current stint as resident artist at Museum of Nature as part of her PHD studies. As well as examining the museum’s inventory, she’s also curating a display for their bird collection; a task she revels in. Interested in shaking up the usual display of bird “skins”**, Gregory reveals she’s going to juxtapose them with a lively group of century-old (Bourguignon) song birds mounted on fancy glittering (almost tacky) painted bases along with a set of porcelain Lenox Garden Birds. Her keen insight and sense of humour demonstrates the multiple roles birds play in our lives whether it’s for educational or sentimental reasons. I’m sure they’ll have museum goers doing double-takes! Through her paintings as well, Gregory carefully and strategically uses similar tactics to turn viewers’ heads. In the near future, I’ll share a few of my favourites with you.

If you’re interested in seeing Helen Gregory’s exhibition, be sure to drop by “Unrequited Death” at the Museum of Nature or visit her website at the link below. I’d be curious to know if her painting of death disturbs, delights or moves you!

* Note: I say this because of her love of display and wall paper.
** Note: Where birds are displayed laid out flat and labeled.

Just to let you know I’ll be taking a couple of weeks off from blogging. Will be back August 5, 2012. Have a great couple of weeks! 🙂

Other Links:
Helen Gregory’s Website