I specialise in art projects inspired by space exploration and science of the cosmos. This involves collaborating with scientists and takes the form of mixed media installations, large paintings, smart materials costumes and experimental books. These are created under the auspices of Space Agency and employ optical illusions to express the unknown phenomena of the Universe. This work started in 2007 whilst doing an MA in Glass at Sunderland University. Since then, I have collaborated with scientists in the fields of astrophysics and cosmology including a residency at Durham University’s Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics. This afforded me the opportunity to meet space shuttle astronauts and visit the UK Dark Matter Laboratory. I am now an ESERO-UK Space Ambassador for education wing of the European Space Agency. Twice, I have been a judge for the NASA Humans in Space Art Competition.
In 2014, I started the year with a residency and workshop for Royal Holloway Astrophysics Department. For this I created 3 large experimental books about extra spatial dimensions, Dark Matter and CERN. This was a continuation of book projects started on a residency for the Festival of the North East where I made a large book called Observatory inspired by telescopes. Later in 2014, I collaborated with choreographer Mehmet Sander to produce a billboard, SUN (Rise): Can you fall up? for a Metal public art project about the Sun and gravity. For the Jotta & Blurb ‘Unbinding the Book’ project, I made Moon Book, which was shown at the London Art Book Fair. I joined NewBridge Studios in 2011, where I began a Lunar Laboratory Project, Moon-Shot: Woman in the Moon. For this project, I created a series of large paintings of a Moon Rocket (10.5 metres high), Full Moon and Lunar Space Station. This solo show was exhibited at Vane and Globe Galleries in Newcastle in 2013.
Undress: Redress. was a programme of exhibitions and workshops exploring smart materials clothing. This brought together Durham University’s NETPark, Science Learning Centre NE, and Arts Centre Washington. I designed and made dramatic ball-gowns; the hi vis Dazzle Dress, and UN-Dress created from thermoplastic which dissolves in water. There was performance at Whitley Bay Film Festival showing it dissolving, which is now a short film. Other costume projects include 'Guardian', where I dressed a 5m high statue of William Wallace as a space-age warrior in 2015. Yellow Giant is a solo show which involves collaboration with solar physicists and exhibits large optical illusion paintings with a huge hi vis ball-gown: 'SUN-Dress for the Yellow Giantess'. An art award from the Pollock Krasner Foundation has enabled me to visit space organisations such as ESA, and Harwell Space Cluster with the object of creating a new body of artworks and education projects.

Online Info: http://thenewbridgeproject.com/portfolio/helen-schell/

Website:	thenewbridgeproject.com
City:	Newcastle
State/Region:	Tyne & Wear
Country:	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the)