Tell us 3 things about yourself
1. I am the Ringleader of the circus sideshow act that is my family: Audrey 6, Scott 3, my husband Brent and a big fat cat named Mr. Darcy.
2. I am an artist/entrepreneur and I peddle giclée prints of my work via my company Meringue Inc. (www.meringueinc.ca) I have recently started to license out my images to a poster company and am always excited to discover where they end up. I have spotted framed posters of my work at Homesense and will soon have another series available in Leons stores. I also have a line of giclée prints on canvas for kids, now being distributed across Canada through a company called CC aRt. (www.ccartdecor.com) or (http://ccartdecor.com/store/Billett-Helen)
3. I do freelance graphic design and take on a myriad of different projects: Store signage, websites, email campaigns, logos… you need it, I can design it! I have just started a big project with my former employer Indigo and will be busy in the coming months helping them implement their new website.
Are you for, or against, small appliances on the kitchen counter?
I strive for a clutter-free counter, but with a busy family I have found this to be close to impossible. I try to just keep out the essential appliances that we actually use. (toaster, kettle etc.) I really should put away the blender, but I’m always hopeful that it will inspire me to get on a healthy smoothie kick. The coffee maker was hidden away in a cupboard years ago. I’m the only one that drinks coffee in the house and I’m happy with instant if it means I can have more free space on the counter.
Name 5 things that are on your counter right now.
1. A canister of delicious loose leaf teas from my favourite tea shop in Leslieville, Steeped & Infused. (www.steepedandinfused.com)
2. A huge pile of forms that need to be filled out for back-to-school. Ugh.
3. A stack of clear plastic containers for recycling. My husband saves up the items that can’t be recycled in Toronto and takes them to his parent’s place in Mississauga where they can be processed. Even though I think recycling is sexy and I find my husband’s efforts admirable, I prefer this stockpile to accumulate in a dark corner of the basement rather than on my limited kitchen counter space.
4. A rectangular platter of fruit.
5. Freshly cleaned artist brushes chatting up a half-full bottle of wine. (I prefer to see the wine bottle as half-full as opposed to half-empty… I’m zen like that.)
What, if anything, would you change about your kitchen counter?
I often wish that I wasn’t the only person in the house that knows how to or feels it is important to wipe it clean! Crumbs and sticky fingerprints on the counter drive me bananas.
What is your favourite thing to do on your kitchen counter?
I see the butcher-block island in the centre of our kitchen as an extension of our kitchen counter. It is definitely the surface that sees the most action. All food gets prepped and served there. The kids sit on comfy, high-backed bar stools to breakfast and lunch there. It has seen it’s fair share of Star Wars battles and it has a lovely patina of sparkle glue, marker and a big frying pan shaped burn ring that mysteriously appeared on my husband’s watch. (I think this is called “Shabby Chic”?)
I would say that my favourite thing is to gather with family and friends around the kitchen island to share the stories of our day and have some laughs.
School started back this week...are you happy, sad or indifferent?
I had a great summer with the kids but I think that we are all now in need of some structure and routine.
My son started JK this week and I had a few twinges of sadness about my last baby entering school, but I’m ready to move on to another stage in our lives. I have always loved that “fresh start” feeling of September. I have a ton of ideas and projects I want to tackle and I’m excited about what the year has in store for all of us.
Do you think you have passed your artistic "gene" on to your children?
My daughter Audrey is VERY visual and is already planning her future career as an artist as well as her company called “Audrey Makes Everything”. We share a studio space in the basement and her favourite subjects at the moment are rainbows and unicorns. It is my goal to be as prolific as Audrey is and I have learned a lot from her in terms of braving the blank canvas. Audrey also has dreams of working at a Queen St. E. nail salon and dabbling in mani-pedi art.
I haven’t seen much inclination in Scotty yet towards the visual arts. In fact, at a recent visit to a ticketed art exhibit he declared loudly: “This is BORING! Everyone here thinks this is BORRIIINNNGGG!!!” Scott is a natural performer for sure. He talks a lot about being a Rock Star, however, I think Stand-Up Comedy might be his calling. That kid is a nutter.
Where do you find your inspiration these days?
The digital collage technique I employ allows me to combine my own drawings, paintings and photographs with elements I create digitally. I get inspiration from all areas of my life and I am forever collecting and photographing textures knowing that I will use them in something, someday. I scan in the kids’ artwork and use the naïve brushstrokes as textures in my work all the time. I have a lot of photos from my garden this summer that I’m eager to start working with. Last weekend we went to see the AbEx exhibit at the AGO and I have a bunch of notes about things I want to play with. I am also looking at fashion a lot lately for colours and patterning. Inspiration is abundant. Time is not quite as plentiful - but I’ll get there, eventually.
Thanks Helen! I love her husband's recycling efforts...that's impressive. And how marvelous to share a studio space with your child. I think I might have to steal this idea and create a little spot for my girls in my workspace.
Have a great weekend everyone!