Helen Jacobs
Helen Jacobs studied for her BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at the Kent Institute of Art and Design and received the Canterbury Arts Council Prize for her final show in 1998. Helen gained her BA Honours in Fine Art Textiles in 2001 and her MA (with distinction) in Textile Culture in 2004 both at the Norwich School of Art and Design.
Helen’s work has been exhibited on several occasions; she has worked in textiles, painting and most recently has exhibited cast iron sculpture. Her own artistic practice is concerned with storytelling and childly language, her pieces often made to play and interact with. Her work with children and about childhood is appropriate in her role as a freelance artist educator; she is both a creative practitioner and enthusiastic teacher.
In addition to exhibiting her work, Helen has taught art part-time and works as a travelling artist leading workshops in schools and community centres. She has been working with older people at day centres and with dementia patients in care homes for the charity Ithaca. The project work with these groups led to her first joint public art commission at Isis House, Oxford. Her community arts work continues with adults on projects at The Bullpen Arts Centre, and with children through the Arts a la Carte programme for the Vale of White Horse District Council.
She enjoys involvement in collaborative projects with other creative practitioners, working alongside organisations such as Fusion - Oxford’s Community Arts Foundation, East Oxford Schools (Cowley Road Carnival), Family Learning, Home Educators Network, and Creative Partnerships (Oxfordshire Schools).
Helen is a Director of The Bullpen Arts Centre in rural Oxfordshire, managing projects whilst setting up a gallery and education programme. She has project-managed an Iron Casting sculpture event for two years at The Bullpen and has secured grant funding for the project. This year she has successfully applied for funding for three major community arts projects at The Bullpen arts centre, and for one of the secondary schools for whom she works as Community Coordinator.