Viva Lewes Issue #143 August 2018

Photo by Alex Leith
MY LEWES: HELEN HOLDER
Helen moved to Lewes with her husband 30
years ago, to retire. Before that she lived in a
number of different places. She was brought up
near Slough, was a Wren in Plymouth in the War,
moved out to Berkeley, California, worked in
Turin and Milan, was on the original staff of the
Bell School in Cambridge and had a long career
as an English-as-a-foreign-language teacher and
teacher trainer at The Hammersmith & West
London College, becoming Head of Department.
Why Lewes? We wanted somewhere within
an 80-mile radius south or west of London.
We searched areas first; then only the second
property we looked at was a house in Southover
High Street, one of the Edwardian ones at the
end, and we loved it.
What do you like about Lewes? My husband
always said he liked it because there was no Lord,
and no Bishop. But what could you not like about
Lewes? It’s a place where you are absolutely free
to be who you want to be.
I understand you’re a painter. I believe
everyone should have a passion, and mine is
painting. I took it up after retiring. My teacher
Tom Benjamin, at the Paddock, has been very
kind and encouraging, and is very good at
helping you to develop your own style.
And you’re in Artwave… I am glad to be
exhibiting with other artists, and I would like
to say a big ‘thank you’ to Richard and Kate for
letting us use their house [see below]. These
are probably my last oil paintings, as I now
haven’t the strength to do oils after a bad fall last
November. I have now taken to pastels.
Who has influenced your style? I was interested
in art history long before I ever tried to paint. I am
a great admirer of the old masters, my favourites
being Rembrandt, Titian and Velázquez. What I
now like to paint are ordinary scenes with people
in them, also sometimes myths and illustrations of
lines of poetry.
Do you ever eat out? I love the Limetree
Kitchen. Alex creates delicious dishes, and he is a
friend. The staff gave me a plant for my birthday.
What’s your favourite pub? I have seldom been
to pubs in Lewes, but when my husband was alive
we went on lots of long walks and would end up
in lovely country pubs, like the Cricketers.
Where would you live if not in Lewes? I’ve
never been as happy anywhere as when we moved
here in 1986/7. A number of my neighbours
retired at the same time or soon after, it was
very much a community and that’s what I missed
when I moved down the road. I’m quite drawn to
Edinburgh: I once applied for a job there and I’ve
often visited, but the climate would be too cold
for me. So Lewes it is.
Interview by Alex Leith
Helen’s work will be on sale at 21 Priory Street
(venue 135) during Artwave.
13