Selene Mortimore: Helen Frankenthaler
As a fine art student a lot of your life becomes about researching different artists, so when one that really inspires you, you know it’s meant to be. For me the turning point in my style, and my way of thinking was when I discovered Helen Frankenthaler. Frankenthaler was a painter associated with Abstract Expressionism – a movement particularly associated with men. Despite being a woman and often laughed at and criticised for being a ‘bored little girl’ Frankenthaler persevered in her career and ended up becoming one of the most celebrated and respected artists of her time. Her career spanned over 60 years and in those 60 years she produced some of the most beautiful pieces of work that I would highly suggest everyone sees. Frankenthaler is a constant reminder that achieving something in the visual arts world isn’t so far-fetched, and will always be a source of inspiration.