My latest Exhibition, Pairings, is now available online.
Online exhibition now open, prints available!

All the paintings are on heavy white rag paper, watercolour, and measure 58 x 77 cm. (Dancer – small 58 x 10cm, and Full Moon is acrylic paint.) Now framed.
I have one print of each picture for sale . All prints on quality photographic paper. Go to the Shop and be the first to purchase a print!
Handwoven silk available now

Partners In Textile Exhibition 2017

How I ended up selling beautiful textiles and fabrics from Thailand here in Brisbane Australia
My friend Joe has been in Thailand teaching English. While he was there he and a Thai-speaking friend, used the free weekends to travel all over Thailand and up to Laos, to buy silk for his collection.
How lucky am I?!
I can now offer some of these beautiful pieces he bought that he is not keeping in his stash.
The silks were purchased direct from the weavers where possible, in the village where they are made. Because of this, we can offer you superior quality at an excellent price.
I really wish I could have been there to visit these wonderful artisans and watch their incredible centuries-old techniques of hand weaving and dyeing silk and cotton for their traditional fabrics.
All pieces were selected by Joe who has a very discerning eye, they are timeless in design and colour.
He has purchased good tight weaves where he could, which relates to the quality of original silk thread used and also ensures they will survive many years of use, as clothing or home use and display.
I would keep them out of direct sunlight as many are natural dyes and some vegetable dyes.
Some patterns are traditional, still used today, and can be researched for tribe and area.
The same dyes can look different on silk and cotton
Silk shows dye on a different face, the silk makes the dye colour shine, quite often it’s the women who design the weave and do the weaving, rather than the men.
Laos weavers have the most exquisite skill in selecting their silk and weaving their patterns. Fine weave means the silk thread chosen is finer and makes the fabrics warmer.
For scarves, the finer silk weave, folded, is warmer than a heavier weave.
Ethnic patterns and soft muted colours are the hallmark of good Laos woven silk. The diamond shape and chicken design are repeated motifs in handwoven Thai silk weaving.
Muttmee woven silk from Khon Kaen in Thailand is a decorator’s dream. Finely woven with gold pattern this fabric has wonderful sheen and drape, can also be used for light upholstery and special occasion wearables.
Joe also purchased some Khon Kaen cotton by the metre for home furnishing.
I feel so priviledged to now have the opportunity to show this Collection of exquisite silks and cottons to you, and if any of these is singing your name, please do feel free to place an order in the Store.
Thanks so much for reading my story, and I hope that the thought of owning some of these museum-quality textiles and fabrics is something which would bring joy to your life.
All the very best, do please write to me if you have any questions (via my Contact form) — I look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers,
Helen McIntosh
Brisbane, Australia
Hand loomed silk fabric Avacado green
Hand loomed silk fabric
Available in Avacado green
Size: 4m, 35″/89cm wide
Price: $A200-00
Hand loomed in Laos, suitable for furnishings, light upholstery and dressmaking.
More information on these beautiful fabrics can be found on my page talking about the remarkable serendipity which happened to bring these into my textile world here in Brisbane, Australia. Please click below to pop over and read this lovely story about the incredible fabrics and textiles of Laos (and other parts of Thailand).
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My tea cosies will be on display
This is one of several of my handmade tea cosies for sale at my upcoming Partners in Textiles exhibition, on my market stall.
We will have several other delightful Market stalls on Saturday 12 August, including specialists in Silk, picture framing, Artists Books, and wood sculpture.
Also on display will be a vintage American Caddy (Cadillac)!
Come and join the frivolity and fun if you’re anywhere near Brisbane, Cooroy or the Sunshine Coast, I’d love to meet you – come say, “Hello Helen!”!
Where? The Butterfactory, Cooroy, 12 th August 2017 – read more >>
If you’d like to chat, you can also find me on Facebook and Instagram.
I am thrilled to appear in This Week In Noosa 3 August 2017
A big shout out to the delightful Sue Mikkelsen of Tourism Noosa, who has not only added my upcoming Exhibition to the Events page of This Week In Noosa, but is also showing it as a Featured Event!
Thank you so much Sue!
This is what the two pages look like:
If you don’t have time to pop over to their site, here is the text they wrote:
Partners in Textile exhibition at Cooroy Butter Factory
When: 11 August – 19 September 2017
Where: Butter Factory Art Centre, 11A Maple Street, Cooroy
Time: Tuesday – Sunday 10am-3pm
Price: Free entry
Website: www.butterfactoryartscentre.com.auA mutual love of textiles is the common thread for three long-time friends and artists, Helen McIntosh, Sybil Orr and Cathy Moon who showcase their talents in a new fibre exhibition, Partners in Textile which will be a kaleidoscope of colourful artworks and jewellery at the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre in the Noosa hinterland.
At the grand opening on Saturday 12 August from 10am to 3pm there will be artists’ market stalls, meet and chat with the three artists, light lunch and refreshments from noon. Sybil Orr will give an Artist Talk on textiles and texture at 11.30am, followed by guest speaker Janet De Boer at 1pm.
Artists’ stalls will include Icon Ladies, cards, tea cosies, jewellery, clothing, tableware, scarves, miniatures, fabric, woodwork, sculpture, pens, silks – buy something unique!
A free art raffle will be drawn on Opening Day with the winner receiving a piece of art by Helen McIntosh.
Brisbane-based Helen McIntosh’s work is constantly evolving, exploratory and experimental, including textile-based work, mixed media paintings, mosaics, jewellery, sculptural pieces and
tapestries.
Sybil Orr is producing plant-dyed, stained and reductive-dyed fabrics, while reflecting an interest in conservation and mending fragile, found and recycled fabrics.Cathy Moon creates unique Shibori fine-art and apparel by interpreting and adapting traditional shibori techniques on varieties of natural fibres.
Rosie and The Icon Lady Photo Booth
Rosie and The Icon Lady Photo Booth showing you where NOT to put your legs (this did make me chuckle!) — instead, put your hands through the holes to look a little bit more lady-like 🙂
You will have your chance to take your own photos in the IconLady photo booth at my upcoming Exhibition — Partners in Textiles.
Please do join us on the Saturday and be part of the frivolity!
So if you’re anywhere near Brisbane, Cooroy or the Sunshine Coast (Queensland, Australia), do come see us!
Where? The Butterfactory, Cooroy, 12 th August 2017 – read more >>
If you’d like to chat, you can also find me on Facebook and Instagram.
A sneak peek of my Lotus watercolours
Just a sneak peek at what else I do — lotus watercolours!
Here is my brief description of what the Lotus artworks are about.
The dried Lotus leaf, to me, is particularly beautiful , offering an abstract view of nature , and to quote from Ruskin, “the mystery under which the separate character of each is more or less concealed”.
It’s about organic flat forms, complex structure and the balance of positive and negative space. It’s about each leaf having its own symbolism, pattern, colour and shape. It’s about being different but the same.
To see these large watercolour paintings in real life, why not come see me at my Exhibition?
So if you’re anywhere near Brisbane, Cooroy or the Sunshine Coast, do come see us!
Where? The Butterfactory, Cooroy, 12 th August 2017 – read more >>
PS — don’t forget to sign onto my mailing list to get details of all my upcoming exhibitions.
PPS — If you’d like to chat, you can also find me on Facebook and Instagram.