TRUE BLUE

Silk. Dye. Machine stitch. Cotton thread.

Card. Purchased ornate synthetic fabric.

$1100.00

I was thinking of the mystery of blue, the mystery of creating. I found there is a spirit in the colour blue. Made from various off cuts of pure silk , the dye found  its own measure, depth and texture.

LOTUS BELLE

Manipulated dried Lotus Leaf.
Paper, pencil, cloth. Impasto gel.
Charcoal. Emu feathers.
Rag paper. Glue.

$1050.00

Once the leaf is dried it has wonderful subtle shades of natural colour, and becomes pliable. This tactile Lotus leaf is a natural progression in my use of the Lotus leaf in my art practice. I was looking for texture and thinking about spirits in nature.

CROSSING CULTURES – SOLD

Indian cottons. Shells, acrylic paint, machine stitching, various braids and fabrics. Stitched on 650 gsm rag paper.

$1100.00

I have channeled my inner Bower Bird for this Iconlady. I chose the fabrics for  beauty alone. Also to remember the gifted pieces and their memories.

THE DUCHESSE

Lace. Braid. Silk. Velvet. Pencil. Beading. Various Trims. Machine stitching on rag paper.

$1100.00

“ Duchesse” is a type of lace, a style of embroidery. Again, I have used from my collections, upholstery  braids, lace, fabrics, silk. Reflecting Fashion , offering stories from history and usage.

BROIDERY

Various trims and braids. Lace. Machine stitching on heavy rag paper.

$900.00

Prismatic joy! It was a sheer pleasure to use my collection and enjoy the colour and textures. One day, I think these trims will be too labour intensive to produce and use. Also, history shows us, colours change. Perhaps in 100 years the dyes and weaves here will be quaint? Old technology? No longer relevant? OR, perhaps, a real Collector item?

GRIEF

Watercolour. Cotton thread. Rag paper.

$900.00

Loss and sadness is all around us. We are connected by a thread. Some people say a circle. Occasionally  death is front and centre in our lives. The Guardian Angels have been with me for 30 years and sometimes they pop up in my art work. I find them very reassuring and peaceful.

HER TENDER YEARS

Velvet. Beaded lace. Buttons. Wedding car ribbon. Machine embroidery.  Cotton thread. Stitched on rag paper.

$900.00

Youth. Hope. Innocence. Made from wedding dress materials stitched on rag paper. I just loved the reflections and feel of these fabrics. Their quality was irresistible to me.

CHRISTMAS

Paper.Lace. Acrylic paint. Emu feathers. Buttons. Modelling paste. Gauze. Rag paper.

$900.00

Christmas every year is different. In my life circumstances Christmas is not an occasion I control. Christmas is the beginning of handing over to the next generation. And, of course, in Australia, hot.

BUSHSPIRIT

Photographs. Machine stitch. Net. Silk. Emu feathers. Cotton thread. Machine stitching on rag paper.

$1100.00

Walgett NSW is an area I am familiar with. The silk was eco dyed in the campfire using local river water and plants. The huge sky, the dry air, the flat land, the blazing sun evoke this reaction in me.

GARDEN BELLE – SOLD

Watercolour. Rag paper.

$900.00

A portrait of a mosaic Iconlady she seemed to ask me for “a guiding presence”. So that’s what I did. The hint of Lotus plant follows a thread in my work.

INDIGO BLUE

Handmade papers. Buttons. Card. Machine and hand stitched. Cotton thread.

$750.00

The papers were all dipped in an Indigo vat at Cathy Moons. The range of colour that happened with the handmade papers amazed us all. Dyeing, like Felting, is a trend I wanted my Iconladys to record. This will be a measure of an era.

GILDED SILK

Silk. Machine stitching. Impasto gel. Cotton thread. Acrylic paint. Rag paper

$1100.00

Made from Japanese Kimono linings. The inside fabrics are rarely seen by anyone except the Kimino owner, and therefore considered luxury. Margaret  Barnett gifted be a bag of scraps after her visit to Japan.

BLUE BIRD LARGE

Watercolour on paper.

$1050.00

Portrait of the Mosaic Blue Bird.

BLUE BIRD MEDIUM

Watercolour on paper.

$900.00

Portrait of the Blue Bird. Painting in more or less one colour was an enjoyable challenge.

BLUE BIRD SMALL

Watercolour on paper.

$900.00

Portrait of the blue Bird. Part of a set of three, or stand alone.

SOLD

 

VINTAGE ICONLADY

Mosaic. Wood. Glue. Grout. Sealer. Paint. Broken crockery.

$350.00 each.

Art made with a woman’s gaze. Collection of nine works.

I am on a campaign to lift women’s craft to Art level. Perhaps framing these pieces would make them even more valid? However, I enjoy the movement and shadows of the  free hanging beads. One reason they are one offs is the impossibility of gathering the China pieces again. The shards have imbedded memories and history. 

 

Artist Helen McIntosh discovered the Iconlady shape in the ‘70s, serving as a creative launchpad, transcending into a symbolic, archetypal female form.

Viewers imbue their experiences onto the paintings, with the Iconlady evolving into a vessel for personal connections and memories. The artworks encapsulate trends, cultural shifts, and moments in the artist’s life, blending beauty, and design. Helen McIntosh’s exploration, guided by the Iconlady, is ongoing.