art – Helene Smits

Don’t ask me to make pictures of …..

april 2, 2025april 2, 2025admin

This blog might come over as a slightly arrogant blog. But so many times I hear: oh, you are a photographer so you can make picture…

at my wedding
of my company
for my ID
of my child
of my dog
a funeral
and so on and so on.

And I say NO!

Mostly people are surprised if I say no. Yes I have almost all the degrees in photography (I only miss a master that’s a different thing) so yes I learned all the techniques. My specialisation is concert & documentary photography. That also doesn’t mean I make pictures of every concert with my camera (mostly a snapshot with my iPhone like everyone now days). During my photography studies I didn’t even take all assignments. It’s good to set your borders as an artist in whatever art you make. As a student it’s normal to experiment and discover your interest and talent. But as a photographer here in the Netherlands people expect you do everything. But it’s good to have a specialisation.

So what kind of photography do I do?
At the moment I started to pick up my photography as a freelance independent photographer and I only make picture for my own art and on request. So a concert here and there when it fits my agenda. Art project at my own pace.

I feel great the way I can reinvent myself as an artist compared to the pressure of when I was studying. I have control and do what I love work with people I want to work with who fits in my vision. With Noize Magazine I’ve had a great time but now I don’t have big pressure deadline and focus on developing my own style in my own time. So let’s make art!!!

Dare to be arrogant!
Now I’m getting older I start to understand artist that seemed arrogant when I was young. Like stories I heard about Corbijn asking outrageous fees to make pictures or the attitude of Erwin Olaf. They are strict in there own rules they made to protect them as an artist. To have control of there own art. So now I don’t see arrogant as a bad thing but just a way to focus on your personal work. The hard thing is the balance between appear arrogant and still be open to new things. Boundaries are hard to set because before you realise you start to build walls instead of bridges.

So yes you can always ask me to make pictures of your wedding/dog whatever. Just accept if I ask a high fee or even say no.

With love,
Helene

Let’s make art!!

maart 6, 2025maart 6, 2025admin

During my art studies I had a work study at Dynamo making art for concerts with alternative teenagers. Now in my daily life I make art, craft and do fun thinks with special need people. I normally don’t write about my work but this time we had a great project of art and fun. We made a carnaval themed project with an exhibition in the middle of the local city centre.

First a short story of my current work. Two and a half years ago I got the job to guide people with special needs in there daily activities. This so they have a useful and social meaning of there day. The fun thing is we can do all the fun things. Dance, make music (like with boomwhackers), bake, make art, even do production work or a lovely walk in the park. Sometimes we try something and it’s a disaster but there is always fun. That’s what last year became my personal motto “do what makes you happy”. Offcourse writing it like this it only sounds like fun but it’s hard work to and always keep an eye on their needs.

So after almost 15 year I made an art project with a group. The fun thing with guiding a group they always surprise you and inspire. That reflects on you own art and makes you grow yourself as an artist it could crush your boundaries as an artist that are set by the rules of education. So with my work I try things that I would do at home or sing the Phantom of The Opera in public. But working with a group gives a sight of trust and I one goes flat out we don’t care we laugh and maybe try again

You can only fly if you try.

So this project was about making fun and go big. They made drawings of there dream parade wagons and when I said we are going to build them they looked at me that I’m crazy. But it was hart work and I don’t remember how much paper a glue I have seen. But make ideas an let them find solutions on their own when they build and the pride when where finished. The achievement of doing something you couldn’t imaging to ever do and pull it off. That’s the magic of art! Make something to amaze even it’s just yourself.

The work is exhibited in a shopwindow on an empty store. Local on a spot where the whole city can see it. Yes it isn’t the Louvre, but when we make a small walk with the group. There smiles from ear to ear that’s why I love my job. That’s why I love to make art.

Do what make you happy,
Helene

What a year where I found myself

december 20, 2024december 20, 2024admin

Early this I would not believe to be where I stand now. It’s also my first year that I have kept my new year resolution: Just do what makes you happy.
It sounds a bit cheesy but this mindset slowly become an open door to possibilities. I face my own problems physically and mentally. I said goodbye to all that doesn’t please my anymore and embraced where my soul takes me. My soul brought me to old friends and new places. Redefined love, friendship and embraced the flow of the sun and moon.

No I do not dance naked under the full moon or go Stonehenge during midsummer soliste. I’m more of classic philosophy and give in to listen to ravings in my head. So sometimes I write again and started to make pictures. And even start experimenting with covers just to work on my confidence and I’m surprised that I still upload an weekly cover. So now time to try to write some music of my own and experiment with finding my own sound.

For next year?
Well I wrote on my Facebook page next you my goals is to build bridges. From this year rediscover myself to next year build bridges and find myself as an artist to create art again in whatever the form will be crochet, photography, poetry or even music…..

Just live you own dreams

What are your goals for 2025?

Helene

No deadlines just do what makes you spark

september 9, 2024oktober 15, 2024admin

I’m writing this blog in a nostalgic mood. This year I decided to live by the concept “Only do what makes you happy”! So here I’m in my mid-thirties sounding like some much older. When I was a student I loved the hunt for success and the trill of deadlines. But now after a rush up the last ten years it feels like my brain aged twenty years. But isn’t that the whole thing. When we are in the calm and solid waters of our life we start on our inner work.

Look at myself I have a decent job where I’m not even allowed to rush! Yes this sound against all logics of a creative person. But two years ago I started to work in healthcare where I do creative activities with special needs people. So I do only fun things the whole day I make art, music, go on walk. That’s a 180 life change after years of working with tight deadlines and later my own company which gave a lot of stress (specially during corona years). So after a year to settle in the changes I found out that I have free time!! Something I felt like I never had that much. So what to do with it?

Well just find out what makes you happy?
For my it was a Mari Kondo like way of letting things go. Because what does give you a spark in life?

I stared to drop things and let go some contacts (sorry) and picked up contact with some old friends. I stared to build this website to sort out my old work, and it made me feel nostalgic. I made me realise that I miss the thrill of making pictures and work with music. So I decided to stay at the opera develop myself as a singer just for fun. Because it makes me happy. Now I have a chance to make pictures again, lets see if it makes me just as happy as the old days. And crochet??…. Well only when I’m in the mood and makes me happy.

What makes you spark?

From alto prinses to goth queen

augustus 13, 2024admin

So still being in my nostalgic mood and overthinking my life I write this blog. On Gothcommunity.eu fb group some started a post of their goth look thru the years. In 2002 I went for the first time to a gothic shop it was in Den Bosch a small store filled with witchy and fantasy stuff with the smell of incense filled the room. The lady in the store wore a big dress with a corset like a dark princess. Mesmerized by the magic in the store I felt in love with this dark but feminine style. But there was I standing a brave insecure 14 year old girl who dressed up more as a tomboy.

Later that year I went to my first fantasy festival an bought my first “gothic” shirt and proudly wore it he next day to school. So there it was from now I was the gothic of the glass. Every penny is start to spent in dark princess like cloths and mixed and matched them. But still deep inside I was still that insecure girl that just looked like a princess of darkness exploring the world.

I started to study multimedia and set up a gothic e-zine with a friend. Going to concerts, festivals and even gothic gala’s. Exploring styles and watch trends. So working with models and having amazing creative artist in frond of my camera I always felt underdressed. I never considered myself create with make up and hair, and yes I learned some tricks true time. But still I felt like a reporter that just went for her goals and for the rest a shy wallflower like a Lady Whistledown.

2024 Helene with Sabine Lutzenberger (Helium Vola / Per-Sonat)

But time has passed got married in steampunk style and just like the goth scene in the Netherlands I disappeared to. Went up in the mass and started a family. But still there was something missing in my life. Did I let to much go in the darkest day’s In my life? Yes there was a time where the beauty of life and the most darkest part where a tin line.
So corona that time when we were almost forced to confront ourselves in where we stand in life. I started to redefine my passions and with all the scrolling on the socials I found old contacts. On the rare moments in 2021 we could travel again we could meet old friends and a small spark lighted my gothic heart. In 2022 I lost my store well I got a job opportunity that changed my life. I could be creative and free again and room for travel and self-development came in my life. More and more I got drawn to the old days where I felt happy and free.

So yes I’m gothic on my own way. Not one with big hair and big eyeliner. But my own elegant me! And now I can even say I’m an elderly goth and don’t care if I’m not the next topmodel. But I love to inspire new generations on my own way to even make the shy wallflower feel seen.

And still I don’t know where my path takes me but even the coolest goth has the brightest spark inside there heart. And mine shines brighter than ever!

So yes I say I’m a gothic queen!!

My workshop closed

juni 12, 2024admin

How my workshop is going from almost ready to work in again to a nightmare. So I just finished my workshop a few months ago. Started to sort out my old photography and re-edit them. Well that just got on a hold. Also my just stet up recording set is there. Why?

We have a major leak in the roof!! And it’s raining for half a year now in the Netherlands. So a few months ago we discovered damage on the ceiling. So they did a roof inspection and there is a leak, and we are waiting till it will be fixed. Last week when we tried to pick up some project an reorganise my company we found out it got on the point that it’s unhealthy to work.

We brought my old handmade art downstairs so my winter sorting out project become my summer project. And when I can photoshop again I have to see, I guess I have to do a edit marathon in the summer holiday in my living room.

And now?
Well it’s a good time for me to focus on some writing. And test my new IPhone by making little video’s where I sing some covers. I guess I really never sit still!!

With L♡ve

Nostalgia

mei 4, 2024admin

It was all better in the past!?

Longing to our past is a natural things in 2012 when society was changing. We longed to a time in the past with a period of technical change with social media and streaming like Netflix. And upcoming trend was Steampunk people were looking back at the industrialisation. Now in the 20ties we had our time with corona that shaken society and now I see a reaction to longing to the 80ties. The (dark) wave it the “new goth” and cover bands have more gigs then there existing originals.

For me? During corona I started to long to talking about my old work while my yarn shop had to close for safety. Hanging around on socials finding old contacts and inspirations. Some I left behind years ago. After corona I had to stop de shop and found a new creative job. That give me even more time and rest to drown in the river of nostalgia.

And there we have the fear of nostalgia. The desire to swim against the stream of life is an illusion to swim to safety. In the end it will only exhaust us and we will drown. But still sometimes we need a small swim against the stream to see what direction we need to go.

What I do to prevent drowning? Well now I still sorting all my old archives and finished projects that I should have finished a long time ago. For me I helps to close the tabs in my head but I won’t forget where I come from.