Testimonials
Helena Fann’s “Scales, Skins And Things” Blends Undersea Imagery With Nude Drama
by Elizabeth Shugg
Feathery angelfish float serenely through a sea of aquatic hues in one painting, as a human female form wrapped in erotic ribbons of color radiates nearby in another. Could both paintings come from the same artist? Only if that artist is Helena Fann. (Shugg, 2008)
Turning Point Gallery’s featured artist July 11-Aug. 4 presents “Scales, Skins and Things,” an unlikely blend of undersea splendor with startlingly beautiful—and mature—human forms. Known for her vibrant aquatic and nude paintings, acrylic artist Fann recently relocated to Raleigh, but was born in South Africa and owns a home in Dubai. (Shugg, 2008)
With me I bring a bit of Dubai culture—in the form of abstracts, which is very popular over there,” she says. “They love rich colors, the color of the ocean, the warmth of the desert and the color of gold.
Helena Fann
Helena matriculated from the Johannesburg School of Art, Ballet & Music. She was commissioned to illustrate a children’s book during her final year in school, and went on to work in the display department of a large company designing posters and building props for window displays. After marriage and the birth of her son, she started her own advertising and promotions company, which left little time for painting. She moved to Cape Town in 1993 with her new husband and extended family, where she was able to fully pursue her passion for drawing and painting. (Shugg, 2008)
The clear vibrant colors she uses together with the strong lights and darks give depth to the ocean and to the painting. In their own way, these paintings are also very evocative with the floating fins of the angelfish.
Patricia Southcombe
Christopher Southcombe met Helena while serving as Dubai International Art Centre’s chairman when she joined on as a teacher, and was particularly struck by the originality of her nude works.
Sensuality is well expressed in forms such as those clothed in the leopard skin and the giraffe skin. By depicting only a part of the female form, essential characteristics of each animal can be inferred. The graceful power of the leopard and the serene elegance of the giraffe are subtly expressed.
Christopher Southcombe
Shugg, E. (2008). Helena Fann’s “Scales, Skins And Things” Blends Undersea Imagery With Nude Drama. [online] PRLog. Available at: https://www.prlog.org/10083300-helena-fanns-scales-skins-and-things-blends-undersea-imagery-with-nude-drama.html [Accessed 31 Jul. 2019]
Chalk and Cheese at Corp Executive Hotel Apartments – Al Barsha – Dubai
by Hozpitality.com
Portraits, flowers, seascapes, landscapes and desert wildlife – all coexist in vibrant colour on large canvases at a joint exhibition by Helena Fann and Christopher Southcombe coming up at Corp Executive Hotel Apartments in Al Barsha. (Hozpitality, 2019)
Helena is partial to people – portraits and colour. (Hozpitality, 2019)
Refreshing and seductive are the works of Helena who is a highly progressive artist. Winsome and captivating, her canvases are totally unpretentious and vibrate with life.
Ayesha Chen McKeever
When and how did you start painting?
I started drawing at the age of four, and went to children’s art lessons once a week from a very young age. Drawing has always been my passion and I started painting at Art School in the late 1960s but never painted again until about 14 years ago, when my husband gave me acrylic paints and brushes as a birthday gift. It was a new medium for me but I loved it.
What kind of paintings do you do (what medium do you use)?
I specialize in Acrylics, but enjoy mixed media and also dry media, like coloured pencils and pastels. I’ve started dabbling in oils again. When looking at subjects, I see them as a pencil drawing, an acrylic painting or maybe mixed media. It all depends on the mood and colour. I mostly use acrylics because of its versatility.
What is the theme of the exhibition at Corp Executive Hotel Apartments Al Barsha?
I am partial to people – portraits and colour, so I decided to exhibit a mix of colourful paintings and faces. Exhibiting with Christopher, whose paintings are far more traditional and classical we thought “Chalk & Cheese” would be fitting.
Chalk and Cheese by Helena and Christopher is a very special show and is bound to please our clientele.
Aamir Pervez
What kind of response have you been receiving in the market so far and have you exhibited your works in Dubai or in any other countries before?
Since becoming a professional artist, I have exhibited in many galleries in different countries. My country of origin is South Africa where I first started exhibiting in prestigious galleries in Cape Town. Soon I had my first opportunity to exhibit in the USA. I also exhibited in a group as well as solo exhibition at Harmony Art Gallery in Chapel Hill, NC. USA.
In Dubai I had an abstract art exhibition at Hunar Gallary with two of my friends, Marina Harris and Mazarine Menon. I have also exhibited in many group exhibitions at DIAC, Ductac and Mondo Arte.
As far as public art is concerned I was invited to take part in the Red Bull competition and entered a clay sculpture which was enormously fun to make! I also took part in Camel Caravan, Arabian Horse and the Falcon Public art, which I enjoyed very much. When Emirates Home Publication first appeared I contributed regularly to their “Quick Trix”.
How does it feel to be an artist?
Being an artist is a very solitary vocation, because of that and to interact with like minded people, I also teach separate Drawing and Painting courses at two of Dubai’s well known Community Art Centres.
I love exploring new ways of doing things, trying out new mediums, even new styles. There is so much to learn and explore in the art world, one will never exhaust all the possibilities! Even making the simplest creative little things gives me pleasure. I’m truly one of the lucky people who can live my passion!
Hozpitality. (2019). Chalk and Cheese at Corp Executive Hotel Apartments – Al Barsha – Dubai. [online] Available at: https://www.hozpitality.com/news/announcements/chalk-and-cheese-at-corp-executive-hotel-apartments-al-barsha-dubai [Accessed 31 Jul. 2019].