Helen Tranckle
In 2010 I became a resident artist at The 360° Trust in North Devon, where I had a studio and taught printmaking. I later set up and ran my own printmaking studio, 'Folio Studio' in Ilfracombe where I continued to teach and practice until the beginning of Covid. I then moved to a private studio to concentrate on my own work. I am currently leading an art collaboration with other North Devon artists which has proved to provide a much needed sense of motivation for everyone involved.
My work explores landscape as place and experience. I don’t consider myself to be a landscape artist but through abstraction, I try to relate the experience of place; lived-in architecture, structures and the un-lived wider spaces of the physical landscape. The study of place is evocative, revealing the fragility of being - I view this as an investigation into how we ‘fit’ - what has gone before, the evidence of life and how we crave to belong. The work is often framed within a context that brings home our intimate connection with the outside space.
I like to progress my practice to a wider context and have currently returned to experimenting with different disciplines alongside printmaking, where I use monotype, etching, photo etching and screen printing. Recalling the abstract experience within the landscape has led to using natural plant dyes that react differently from my usual mediums. My usual practice involves abstraction and layering. The dyes have to be approached from an entirely new angle as they are unique in their behaviour on paper and as 3D pieces.
My inquiry outside the printmaking norm is a line of thought about how I would like to explore a more in-depth connection with the natural world.
Education and Professional Practice
2002 BA Hons, Fine Art, University College for the Creative Arts, Farnham
2008 MA/PG Dip, The Body and Representation, University of Reading
2010 -2015 A resident artist at 360 Degrees Trust, Filliegh, North Devon, printmaking tutor
2015 Studio/printmaking room, Lynton Exmoor, North Devon, printmaking tutor to private and school clients
2017 - 2020, Director/tutor 'folio' printmaking studio, Ilfracombe, North Devon, classes, workshops and open access facility
2021 - ongoing: Private studio, Combe Martin, North Devon
2022, April - ongoing: Leading an Artists Collaboration 'Reserved Space'
7 artists over 7 months and culminating in an exhibition early 2023.
Prize, Collaboration and Commission
21st National Open Art Landscape Prize- 'Mudlark', NOA17 , Oxo Tower, London, Pallant House, Chichester, 2017, (sponsored by The Norfolk Estate)
Dis:Placed Collaboration, Remote, national art project led by Karen Wicks, 2018
Large tryptych of Paintings Commission for Rose Salterne Inn, Wetherspoons, Bideford, 2013
Printmakers Council member
Exhibitions
Work held in private and public collections, UK and International
2023
WHOBIDART Annual Open, The Burton Gallery, Bideford, 1st April - 14th May
2022
IMPACT 12 The Printmakers’ Voice, CELL, Bristol (art collective)
South West Printmaking Open 2022, Studio KIND, Braunton, North Devon
Black Swan Arts Open, Frome, 15th Jul - 11 Sept
Royal Cambrian Academy Annual Open 8th Jan - 26th Feb
2019
SWAc, Annual Open Exhibition, The Exeter Castle, Castle Street, Exeter, EX4 3PU, 12th - 23rd November, 10am - 4:30pm
'RSA Annual Exhibition - Open Art', The Royal Scottish Academy of Art, RSA, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL, 2nd November - 11th December, 10am - 5pm Mon - Sat, Sun 12 - 5pm
'Land, Sea and Sky', Ropewalk Gallery, Barton-upon-Humber, The Printmakers Council, 26th October - 1st December?
2019 Ilfracombe Art Trail 11th -12th May, folio studio
2018 Ilfracombe Art Trail, 5th - 7th May, folio studio
2017 The Annual Open Christmas Exhibition, The Burton at Bideford, 18th November - 23rd December, Selected
2017 (NOA 17) 21st National Open Art Exhibition, Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf 17 - 26 November moving to Pallant House, Chichester for the 21st National Open Art Winners' Exhibition, 6 - 17 December 2017.
21st National Open Art Landscape Prize- 'Mudlark' sponsored by The Norfolk Estate
2017 Black Swan Open 2017 (2 selected) 2nd - 29th November, Black Swan Gallery, Frome
2016 Dis:placed Collaboration March - August
2015 City of London Barbican Library, Works on Paper, PMC, 6th - 28th January
2014 - 2018 Represented artist by Dial House Gallery
2014 International Print Exchange, Green Door Printmaing Studio, Derby
2014 The Flavel Arts Centre, Dartmouth
2014 Pie Factory, Margate, CMYK exhibition, Printmakers Council
2014 The Burton Art Gallery, Westward Ho! and Bideford Art Society's summer show
2013 Spaces and Places, selected, Harbour House, Kingsbridge, 26th Oct. - 9th Nov
2013 The Open Drawing Exhibition, selected, The Plough Arts, Torrington, 5th Oct - 25th Oct
2013 Commission for Wetherspoons, Bideford
2013 Parallax Art Fair, Chelsea Town Hall, London, 22 - 23rd February, 11am - 5pm (Private View: Thursday 21st Feb, 7pm)
2012 Selected Exhibition: The Plough Arts Centre Open Drawing Exhibition, Torrington, 5th - 27th Oct
2012 Gifted, thegallery@360, 1st - 30th December Wed - Sun, 10:30 - 5:30pm
2012 Sea Ilfracombe Festival, 1st - 3rd September
2012 All at Sea, The Pie Factory, Margate, 4th - 9th August, 11 - 4 pm
2012 Shamal, Villa Monastero, Varenna, IT, 23rd July - 6th August
2012 The Long Gallery, The West Buckland School, Devon March - June
2011 thegallery@360, Filleigh, North Devon,19th Nov - 23rd Dec, 'In the Bleak Mid Winter...'
2011 thegallery@360, Filleigh, North Devon, July - September
2011 Beyond Boundaries, The Spanish Barn, Torre Abbey, Torquay, 2nd - 13th July
2011 The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe, Art Trek, June
2011 Art Trek, Arlington Court, Arlington, Devon, Friday 17th / Saturday 18th / Sunday 19th June Saturday 25th / Sunday 26th June Times: 11am – 4.30pm
2011 Art Trek, Castle Hill House, Filleigh 10th – 12th June
2011 From Water Born Soul, Villa Monastero in Varenna, Lecco, Italy, 23rd May – 12th June
2011 Immersive Worlds, The Spanish Barn, Torre Abbey Torquay, 14th - 26th April
2011 The Queens Theatre, Barnstaple, Solo Exhibition, 07/03/11
2011 The Brick Lane Gallery,196 Brick Lane, London, E1 6SA, 01/02/11 - 14/02/11
2011 NYNW Exhibition, Broomhill Art Hotel, Barnstaple, 16/01/11
2010 The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe, Solo Exhibition, 13/09/10
2010 SHP, Bracknell, 3rd July - 29th August
2010 thegallery@360, Filliegh, North Devon, 05/06/10
2010 Shamal Creative Wind, Villa Desio, Monza, Desio, Italy, 05/06/10
2010 LES CHEVEUX ELECTRIQUES, Primo Piano Living Gallery, Lecce, Italy, 08/05/10
2010 Contemporary Female Mythologies, Primo Piano Living Gallery, Lecce, Italy, 07/03/10
Helping Artists Keep Going
Axis is an artist-led charity supporting contemporary visual artists with resources, connection, and visibility.