Helen Amy Murray
Whispered Muse
British artist Helen Amy Murray reinterprets an icon. On visiting the Home of Rolls-Royce, Helen encountered the figurine of the Spirit of Ecstasy which led her to an exploration of the line drawings of its creator, sculptor and illustrator Charles Sykes. The Spirit of Ecstasy, based on Sykes’ original bronze statue ‘The Whisper’, has graced the prow of every Rolls-Royce motor car since 1911 and in doing so, has become a muse to artists around the world for over 100 years.
Helen is an artist with a natural affinity with fabric. Her work masterfully sculpts textiles, most frequently leather, suede and their faux counterparts, into unique three-dimensional decorative surfaces and compelling works of art. With a wide portfolio ranging from large-scale wall hangings to unique pieces of furniture, Helen’s work captivates in its sculpted textural form.
With a Masters Degree in Textile Design from London’s Central St Martins, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Colour and Trim Designer, Cherica Haye, was perfectly placed to collaborate with Helen. Together, they experimented, developed and refined various iterations of this Gallery’s design.
Helen has skilfully created a work for New Phantom’s Gallery with a dual illusion. On first glance, a serene landscape emerges from a delicate organic form. The sculpted silk appliqué provides a mesmerising aesthetic with a linear style, from which, on closer examination, a subtle draped female form appears, the wing of the elusive Spirit of Ecstasy. Even then, she appears shrouded in mystery, with the design only hinting at her form through the delicate silhouette of the line of her neck that emerges from the edge of ‘The Gallery’.
By creating different planes to the design through directional sculpting, Helen has created individual contours, beautiful in their own right, that fuse together to form a larger cohesive figural form.
Helen Amy Murray, artist, said of the design, “I was inspired by the ethereal quality of the illustrations of The Spirit of Ecstasy by Charles Sykes. They led me to incorporate the female form into my work; I wanted my Gallery commission to look soft and organic. The subtle spacing of lines brings the draped figure into perspective.”
Cherica Haye, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Colour and Trim Designer commented, “The Spirit of Ecstasy extends her graceful wing to enrapture her passengers and convey them to a serene sanctuary, where the whisper of flight imbues calmness and tranquillity in Helen Amy Murray’s Phantom Gallery. A true connection can be felt between Helen’s materials and the subject, enhancing the graceful ambience of the Phantom’s calm interior.”
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