Chesham Tales

Perpetual student turned print studio owner, Helen Boden was born in London though raised in a converted chapel in Wales. Her passion for print brought Helen back to London where she studied up to an MA in printmaking, at Chelsea College of Arts (and a chance modelling job for Vivienne Westwood saw her end up in Tatler). Soaking up London life until 1995,  Helen and her partner later decided to move to Chesham, having become familiar with the area through escape-from-the-city, countryside jaunts.

Having long been intrigued by Bodenpress we were eager to meet the printmaker behind the name at her Chesham studio.  Set behind a residential row, the space is a tranquil hive of creativity, a light-filled room, welcoming and colourful.

  At the time they moved here, Helen was still working in London as an editioner for Brenda Hartill RE, inking up plates for printing alongside developing her own style and technique. Parenthood soon followed and whilst her partner, a sculptor and art director for film and TV productions was often away filming, Helen gave up her work to concentrate on the art of raising kids. Cut to seven years later, with the children at school, Helen took a job as a technician at Chiltern Hills Academy, where she ran workshops for the students and gained a feel for teaching others. Helen wanted to offer these opportunities outside of the school system, reaching a wider audience and for those who choose to be there.

In 2008, having by chance stumbled across the perfect building space with dual aspect and loads of natural light, Helen’s printing workshop was born. Close to the town centre but in a peaceful spot, it’s thoughtfully arranged for artists to work alongside one another, providing a place to pursue creative interests, learn new skills, or experiment and develop existing ones.

Using an exquisite, hand operated printing press, the studio maintains authenticity and promotes traditional printing techniques. Bodenpress told us that over recent years, the availability of limited edition reproduction prints has had an impact on sales of original edition prints, each one unique as they are hand inked and involve a skilled process.

Helen is a perfect example of the ‘do what you are’ philosophy, having designed her life around her passion. “If I was materialistic, I wouldn’t be able to maintain this – but I love what I do and some of the artists that come to the workshop have been coming for years.”  While we were there, the artists in the studio were using a range of techniques based on their personal styles, including photographic etchings and intricate lino cutting. Common feedback Helen has received is how her workshops have brought so much happiness – clearly  a form of unintentional therapy.

Helen’s vision includes providing opportunities for the Bodenpress artists, and has an upcoming exhibition based around the theme of author Graham Greene, who was originally from neighbouring Berkhamsted. This March event will feature 15 Bodenpress exhibitors using their art to interpret the imagery evoked from a chosen novel.  Given her childhood home, Helen was perhaps destined to recreate architectural details through her art with a current addiction to seeking out spiral staircases fitting in perfectly with the Graham Greene theme.

Seeing the amount of work that goes behind one final print is quite awe inspiring, and is a fascinating process involving myriad stages. Even the plates that Helen’s prints are finally taken from are themselves works of art.

A collaborative exhibition, ‘Our Journey with Greene’ will be held in The Upstairs Gallery in Berkhamsted from the 13th-25th March. Open daily 10-4pm except Sunday – 268 High St, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 1AQ.

Bodenpress takes part in the Bucks Open Studios in the summer, so take the chance to have a look around. Workshops include Etching, Reduction Linocut, Monoprint, Screenprinting, Collagraph, Colour Mixing, Drypoint and Photopolymer etching.

To find out more and book onto workshops, visit Helen’s website, bodenpress.co.uk. You can also view and buy Helen’s own work at Artfinder and follow Bodenpress on Facebook.