The Art of Hellenmae Fitzgerald

In the modern era, it is easy to forget that, at any given time, we are at the mercy of nature. In the Medieval era, the bubonic plague decimated Europe. During the outbreak, the streets would have seemed like an apocalyptic nightmare. And yet, Plague doctors, willingly roamed these streets littered with the dead and dying. They risked their own lives to tend to the sick. Plague Doctors were healers, dressed in robes, masks and gloves. Their dark figures conjured images of mysterious, otherworldly birdlike creatures; part science, magic and faith. Their sacrifice paved the way for modern medicine. Now, when an outbreak threatens humanity, we are better able to respond to it. The healers; our doctors, nurses and medical professionals, continue to put themselves on the front line, risking their lives. Dressed in robes, masks and gloves, their figures conjure images of hope. So while the Plague Doctor addresses our darkest fears, mortality, sickness, and the decimation of our every day lives, it is also a symbol of hope and healing.

I sculpted this piece out of red clay. The biggest challenge I faced while creating the Plague doctor was making her stand on her own two feet. She does. I built the sculpture in three separate pieces. This made it easier to fire and it makes it easier to transport. (My car is rather small.) I wanted to let the natural color of the clay remain mostly untouched. My goal was to create a dark, earthy, burnt impression and I used the clay's natural color to achieve this. I used spray paint and ink to create a smokey, charred look. Plague Doctors would walk out onto the streets, these towering bird-like figures, with plumes of smoke emanating from their beaks. They kept herbs such as frankincense, myrrh, sage and cloves inside their masks. They did this for two reasons; to combat the putrid smell of the dead and dying and they also believed these sacred herbs protected them. They were right. Recents studies have proven that burning herbs, such as frankincense, myrrh and sage does indeed kill airborne bacteria and viruses by 68%. Cloves are a natural antiseptic. Myrrh can kill bacteria directly as well as stimulate the immune system Plague Doctors would light the herbs on fire before tending to the sick. I made the mask separately, also out of red clay. I wanted to be able to remove the mask to show the person beneath, charred, with a smoke singed face from burning herbs. I also wanted to make the Plague doctor, somewhat corpse like. A symbol of the death, chaos and destruction pandemics cause. The bubonic plague, or the black death as it was known at the time wiped out 30 to 60% of the European continent’s population. The deaths rates across the Middle East, India, Asia and Russia were similar. The bubonic plague may probably contributed to the fall of the Mongolian Empire. I used a combination of burlap, black cloth, and black thread to create the robes of the Plague Doctor. I sewed the cloth onto the body and used a blow torch to create the singed tattered affect. I used the black thread to created a criss crossing pattern all over the body. Thread, yarn and string features heavily in all of my work. It represents connection. In this particular piece, it represents our connection to the past and how actions from the past impact the present.

I will Rest, 2016, Oil on Clay, 4ft x 6in x 1ft

The Night Carnival, 2018, Ink on Porcelain, Mixed Media, 3ft x 7ft x 3ft

The Night Masquerade, 2018, Ink on Porcelain, Mixed Media, 4ft x 7ft x 3 ft

Mr. Rabbit, 2019, Oil and mineral Pigment on Porcelain, 14in x 7 in x 4in

In a mad world, only the court jester can speak truth without fear of beheading. Mr. Rabbit is a trickster-like court jester; a play on both the Cheshire Cat with his mischievous grin and the White Rabbit from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. I have a soft spot in my heart for the Cheshire Cat, always causing chaos; also for the anxiety ridden White Rabbit, always running late. Both serve as guides for Alice on her journey of self discovery. Life, with its endless to-do list, can be challenging at the best of times; add to this tyrannical governments, inequality, impending global disaster, personal issues (you name it) and life can seem hopeless. It’s essential to remain curious, to question everything and to laugh like a Mad Hatter at the insanity of it all.

Deer in the Clearing and Where the Buffalo Roam No More, 2012

Eve, 2018, Red Clay, Oil Paint, Ink, Leather, Thread, Bones 1ft x 3ft x 6in

“If I have seen farther than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” -Issac Newton

Cave-paintings pull us through time, back to our earliest selves. It is theorized that these early artists, many of whom were women, would cut off a finger in a ritual sacrifice to create art. I like the idea of sacrifice. You have to sacrifice a piece of yourself  to conjure up such potent magic. Eve is our cave dwelling ancestor. She represents how far we’ve come and the potential we can achieve. Eve was curious. She chose to seek knowledge. She chose to dream of new possibilities. She chose to create. Humanity’s greatest achievements have been born out of this insatiable curiosity. We are driven by a desire to understand the world around us, to seek truth and to imagine new possibilities. That’s why we live in a world of smart phones, air travel and vaccines.

Some of the symbols incorporated into this piece are as follows:

The red clay out of which Eve is sculpted:

Represents the color of our early cave dwelling places. The iron rich red ochres found in those early caves. The red clay also represents blood. The blood sweat and tears it took to create art, to live beyond basic survival. The blood sacrifice…

The snake carved into Eve’s skirt:

Ancestral memory, both passed down orally and incorporated into our DNA.

The apple carved into Eve’s chest:

Represents knowledge, the quest for better understanding.

The trees and branches carved into her boots and chest:

Represents our ancestral/scientific family tree, how we’re all branches shooting off from the same trunk.

The little hearts lining her spine:

Represents strength of will and love.

The bones surrounding her:

I’m fascinated by bones. They serve as a reminder of mortality in the same way that ruins of bygone eras remind us that all things end. 

“Stolen”, 2009, Clay, bees, bones, oil paint and cloth. This piece was untitled until it was literally stolen in 2012.