Bank Street Gallery

helen greensmith

In 2008, Helen Greensmith graduated with First Class Honours in Textiles and Surface Design from Gray's School of Art at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen.  Already her connections impress - in July of last year she won the Como Texprint Scarf Design competition which took her to Como for a week's symposium;  she was invited to display at the elite New Designers Selection Exhibition;  and has been awarded a place on NESTA Starter for Six - the business start up programme for innovative ideas.  Although she has only just graduated, she has already worked in the Zandra Rhodes Print Studio, the Laura Lees Studio, with Patrizia Grinzato in Italy - and designed costumes for the pantomime at The Lemon Tree!

Meeting Greensmith is like walking into an overture of the most fabulous, opulant and optomistic symphony.  Both her presentation and personality are bright, colourful and infectious.  At just twenty-three she encapsulates everything good about modern youth - vibrant, attentive, interesting and interested.  She has the dignity of someone who has learnt her craft - how many women of her age can turn their hand to the staples of the fashion industry:  crocheting, felting, weaving, hand knitting, embroidery ....  She has done the apprenticeship, providing her with the confidence to unleash her creative imagination.  Her humility is wrapped up in an extraordinary cocoon of humour.  She describes herself as "currently a red head".  This is an interesting insight into her chameleon-like nature.  She clearly loves colour.  Fancy dress has, for all her life, provided the perfect canvas for that passion.  Indeed, she warns those within her radar to take cover should they wish to avoid her fanciful makeovers!

Helen enjoys trawling charity shops, making jewellery and clothes, taking pictures of curiosities that she finds when out and about and being vivaciously sociable.  She boasts of her ability to pull off a rather good Jagger impersonation!  She has a weakness for Baileys - and becoming far too stressed by minutiae.  She confesses to suffering bi-polar cleanliness issues - one day obsessively compulsive about tidying and then, on other occasions, completely refusing to clean for days on end.

Why is all this important?  It gives us some insight into the complicated nature of the tapestry which comprises Helen Greensmith.

Helen Greensmith's show runs at the Gallery from Saturday 16th May, 2009 until Friday 26th June, 2009.