Pendle artist's Indian exhibition: The Citizen

A YOUNG artist from Pendle has seen her work chosen ahead of a 1,000 entries for a new generation exhibition in Calcutta. Kaite (corr) Helps, 23, from Barrowford, has secured commissions across the UK, from Plymouth to Barnoldswick, as well as abroad, including Switzerland. Only a handful of entrants will feature in the Gen Next V Exhibition in the sprawling Indian metropolis. The former Clitheroe Grammar sixth-former said: “I am really excited to have my work shown abroad, especially in India when so much of my inspiration comes from there. “Hopefully this will be the first of many shows around the world.” Her work Golden Temples, a piece created with saffron-dyed cotton and natural watercolours, including paprika, turmeric, indigo and vermillion, will be showcased. Kaite travelled extensively in northern India and south-east Asia for six months earlier this year, and has used temple architecture, lotus buds and prayer flags as her inspiration. She makes her paint out of spices and powders bought on her travels around various parts of the world The exhibition at the Aakriti Art Gallery will run in the city from October 1 to 24 Bristol-born Kaite attended the University of Plymouth, where she gained a first-class honours degree in fine art. She has exhibited in her university city, The Paintworks in Bristol, Barnoldswick’s Rainhall Centre and a number of other venues. Her pieces can be seen locally in Blacko and Burnley. Chiefly she uses her own homemade paints and now incorporates spices obtained from around the world in her materials. “When painting with handmade watercolours there is unpredictability in how the paint will react with the surface and how the colours will evolve over several days,” she said. A spokesman for the gallery said: “This time around a thousand entries from artists across the globe were received and a panel of experts did the final selection to put the works of thirty-four young artists together on this enthralling platform. Twenty seven are from India and there are seven international artists. http://www.burnleycitizen.co.uk/news/8379635.Pendle_artist_s_Indian_exhibition/