Helen Masacz

Already a multi award-winning painter, in 2011 Helen Masacz embarked on two years of intensive, classical Atelier training at the renowned London Atelier of Representational Art. Her After the Fall exhibition at Saffron in November 2013 was the culmination of a full year spent painting in the studio putting these finely honed new skills to work. During this time, no new work was released for sale and Helen's collectors eagerly awaited the unveiling of her new body of work. Helen was twice selected for exhibition in the BP Award at the National Portrait Gallery, in 2004 and 2010. In 2005 along with other noted artists such as Frank Auerbach, Tracey Emin & Marc Quinn, Helen was asked by the National Portrait Gallery to contribute work for their exhibition celebrating their 150th anniversary. In 2011 the National Portrait Gallery included Masacz's Mayor Boris Johnson in their book titled 500 Portraits - BP Portrait Award. Helen concerns herself ;with the issues of transition; from childhood to adulthood, from the changes in relationships over a lifetime and to the meaning that the passage of time imprints on all our lives. Helen was born in London in 1968 and still lives and works there.

AFTER THE FALL Nov 2013 After the Fall concerned itself with the impact of battle & war. There were two parallels: battle, gain, feasting and more recently, the First & Second World Wars, the fallout from which was far reaching and inescapable. The paintings encompass feast, rationing and the mental and emotional ramifications. There was also a loose reference to the fall of King Harold in the Battle of Hastings in 1066. This exhibition was the first opportunity to view and buy Helen's latest work for quite some time and also offered one final opportunity to see three of Helen's most popular earlier paintings, returned to Saffron on loan from private collections. Empty Bed, How Can You Sleep at Night, and Mask II all fitted seamlessly with the After the Fall theme and were all much admired before they went into private collections.