Upcoming Exhibits
Artist - Ippis Halme
Title - Thinking Aloud
Dates - June 30 - Aug 25
Title - Thinking Aloud
Dates - June 30 - Aug 25
Cloudy Landscape
Bio - Ippis Halme
Ippis Halme, originally from Helsinki, Finland, attended Hornsey College of Art in London in the early 1970’s with a degree in 3-dimensional design in ceramics. Although she studied ceramics, she has mainly done drawing with pen, ink and colored pencil since then, along with collage work. For the past 45 years she has lived with her husband and two daughters in the US, mainly in Chapel Hill, NC. She is a full-time caregiver. She has shown her work at Myymälä2 Gallery (Helsinki), Auto. Store (NYC), Gallery Ocho (Santa Barbara), Lump Gallery (Raleigh), My Room/ Attic 506 (Chapel Hill) and at NC Botanical Garden’s DeBerry Gallery (Chapel Hill).
Ippis Halme, originally from Helsinki, Finland, attended Hornsey College of Art in London in the early 1970’s with a degree in 3-dimensional design in ceramics. Although she studied ceramics, she has mainly done drawing with pen, ink and colored pencil since then, along with collage work. For the past 45 years she has lived with her husband and two daughters in the US, mainly in Chapel Hill, NC. She is a full-time caregiver. She has shown her work at Myymälä2 Gallery (Helsinki), Auto. Store (NYC), Gallery Ocho (Santa Barbara), Lump Gallery (Raleigh), My Room/ Attic 506 (Chapel Hill) and at NC Botanical Garden’s DeBerry Gallery (Chapel Hill).
Artist Statement - Ippis Halme
I have enjoyed drawing and painting from a young age. Spending a lot of time in nature at our family’s summer house by a lake in Finland inspired me to create artwork. My high school art teacher in Helsinki influenced me a great deal and encouraged me to pursue art, as did my siblings. My earlier work consisted of black ink, pencil and watercolor. College in London in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s exposed me to innovative art practices and influences of the time.
My inspiration is a blend of things, a synthesis of everything I come across visually and otherwise. Nature, in its details, is a big inspiration to me. Patterns and textile designs of the past (i.e. Celtic, Viking, Native American, Guatemalan, Art Nouveau) influence my work. Collected objects from travels end up in my work, as do loved toys that have been passed on to my children and children’s children. Fairy tales and vivid dreams show up in my drawings as well.
My latest body of work is created using permanent markers on water color paper. Each piece takes about one month to complete. This particular collection is growing, so far about 52 have been finished.
I became productive in this series due to the pandemic and caring for my husband who had a new diagnosis of Alzheimer’s at the onset of Covid times. Drawing became a necessary escape for me to bring me lightness in these pretty heavy times. I think that feeling shows up in this particular series in the complexity and boldness of each drawing.
I have enjoyed drawing and painting from a young age. Spending a lot of time in nature at our family’s summer house by a lake in Finland inspired me to create artwork. My high school art teacher in Helsinki influenced me a great deal and encouraged me to pursue art, as did my siblings. My earlier work consisted of black ink, pencil and watercolor. College in London in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s exposed me to innovative art practices and influences of the time.
My inspiration is a blend of things, a synthesis of everything I come across visually and otherwise. Nature, in its details, is a big inspiration to me. Patterns and textile designs of the past (i.e. Celtic, Viking, Native American, Guatemalan, Art Nouveau) influence my work. Collected objects from travels end up in my work, as do loved toys that have been passed on to my children and children’s children. Fairy tales and vivid dreams show up in my drawings as well.
My latest body of work is created using permanent markers on water color paper. Each piece takes about one month to complete. This particular collection is growing, so far about 52 have been finished.
I became productive in this series due to the pandemic and caring for my husband who had a new diagnosis of Alzheimer’s at the onset of Covid times. Drawing became a necessary escape for me to bring me lightness in these pretty heavy times. I think that feeling shows up in this particular series in the complexity and boldness of each drawing.