Helen Karlsen
Quote
"a photo is a picture of gratitude"; "celebrate what is right with the world"; "it is the artist, not the scholar, who arrives at the true nature of reality."
Skill
Photography, macro photography (through online tutorials)
Residence
Europe, Norway (but I spend large parts of the year in South Africa)
Bio
I took up photography about eight years ago after a career as a writer/editor. Although I am largely self-taught, a few years ago I completed a Diploma Course in Photography with the Photography Institute in London. In 2021 and 2022 I had an image shortlisted for Close-up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY), an international photography competition that attracts thousands of photographers. Â I have had one local exhibition in a town close to where I live
Influences
I am influenced by Japanese philosophy: "Seeing that is not a knowledge of the mind, analytically arrived at, but a direct, immediate view of it, as when the eye perceives an object before it." I believe in the idea that if you look at anything for long enough, it becomes beautiful.
Work by Helen Karlsen
Helen Karlsen's artwork is anchored in her appreciation for the beauty of the natural world, a perspective shaped by her unique vision and inspired influence by Japanese philosophy. This perspective emphasizes a direct, immediate engagement with the subject matter, akin to the pure, unanalyzed perception that precedes intellectualization. This philosophical underpinning encourages a deep, contemplative observation, fostering a belief that anything can reveal its inherent beauty when given due attention.
