Artist inspires with nostalgic self-portraits

People look at paintings and find reflections that can be interpreted in a thousand different ways. Art can captivate its viewers in various means, even in the face of a little girl.

Associate art professor Helen Kwiatkowski is working on a series of paintings based on photographs of herself as a child. They have piqued the interest of many, including Assistant Professor Carol Holcomb from the College of Christian Studies.

She said the “titles are as fascinating as the paintings. They add another layer.”

The series of paintings originated as a way to process the loss of her father in 1998, and in no way did she expect people to relate to the images to the degree they have.

Kwiatkowski said, “Friends felt like the paintings had a resonance with them.”

Since she realized that people were connecting to her art, she continued her innovative pursuit of the character, Little Helen. Eight years later, she now has more than 25 paintings in the series.

Kwiatkowski is working on a Little Helen book, which will feature the paintings accompanied by text.

“The book has to do with a commentary of (Little Helen’s) world,” she said. Kwiatkowski described the young girl’s viewpoint as that of a child trying to process the world around her.

Little Helen is a solitary character who is mysterious and vague in identity, an important aspect, Kwiatkowski says, because it allows the viewers their own interpretation of the figure and what it means to them.

She depicts the girl as a progressive character and does not know where her ideas are headed.

“I find the Little Helen’s character to be very brave, but I also find her to be very vulnerable,” Kwiatkowski said.

“Painting in a series is about processing and figuring out things,” she said.

Her initial motivation for the paintings came from a photograph of herself and her sisters in sunglasses. Now, her inspiration is not just limited to photographs. Kwiatkowski said anything can provoke a memory.

When people view the paintings, it is not uncommon for them to recall their own memories.

“There are aspects of the paintings that some people find disturbing and other aspects that are humorous,” she said. “I believe most of the paintings are multi-layered in meaning and interpretation.”

Kwiatkowski says symbols play a large role in the interpretation of the art. She uses the background to bring an imaginary element to the work.

Her most recent images have a complicated pattern to them, which adds to the visual interest.

Kwiatkowski didn’t specify what anything in the paintings means or what feelings they generate. She simply described them as interpretive to the viewer.

Art department chair Hershall Seals said, “I have been following Helen’s work for many years, and I think that this series is the most personal series that she has come up with to date.

“I admire her fastidiousness in texture, color and tone, and the way those reinforce the feeling of completeness in the pictures.”

Although the works are envisioned to be personal, Kwiatkowski said, “I am grateful that I have found something that can resonate with so many different people and on so many different levels.”

A free exhibit featuring works by Kwiatkowski is on display at the Temple Cultural Activities Center through Feb 16.