Art Show: Saud & Helena

From April 17 to 28, the Class of 2023 artist series showcased artwork from Saud Shawwaf ’23 and Helena Ladah ’23 in the Tremaine Art Center. Their art show reception was on April 27 at 6:00 PM in the Lee Roberts ’74 Gallery.

Saud’s artistic passion is in ceramics, where he can feel a deep connection to the earth, the cycles of nature, and the timeless beauty of handmade objects. He has taken Ceramics with Mrs. Caginalp all four years at Suffield and finds that the studio feels like home. In his artist statement, he said, “My work reflects this connection, creating pieces that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. My goal is to create pottery that is both beautiful and functional, that can be used and enjoyed for years to come. I strive to create large pieces that are unique and reflect my own style, but that still fit into the larger context of contemporary pottery. My work is often inspired by the natural world and its elements, as well as by traditional pottery forms and classic ceramics.” He is interested in pushing the boundaries of what can be created with clay, while at the same time honoring the importance of the basics. 

Helena lived in Japan for two years as a child and developed an interest in Japanese-style art. She explained, “My wide-eyed characters take inspiration from Japanese manga. I am inspired by the careful practice of origami and have also used it to make wallpaper in my dioramas. My obsession with dioramas comes from the practice of making fairy houses as a child. My past training in fashion illustration inspired me to create larger scale fashion paintings and to explore sewing. I’ve turned pants into bags and childhood objects into wearable jewelry. Throughout the use of many materials, watercolor and pen remain my favorite which you can find in many of my drawings.”