Ex-dancer takes centre stage at art gallery after injury ruined career

A BACK injury put paid to Helga Houghton’s career as a professional dancer but provided her with an opportunity to develop as an artist.

Ms Houghton’s work forms part of Goole arts centre Junction’s third and final summer exhibition.

She said: “After working as a professional dancer in Madrid for three years, I returned to East Yorkshire following a back injury and continued my art training.

“I studied Apple Mac design and began to incorporate this into my work.

“Most of my pieces are primitive in style, inspired by African art and design, and are drawn and created with pastels before being digitally enhanced.”

The works, mostly pastels, are scanned and digitally enhanced.

North-Ferriby based Ms Houghton, who works as a writer and sub-editor for the Press Association at Howden, said the discipline learned as a dancer had put her in good stead.

She added: “As a dancer you keep striving, you never really stop, you’ve always got a goal. It is the same with the art really.”

The exhibition which opens tomorrow continues until September 4, from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 9am to 7.30pm.

Entry to the exhibition is free of charge, and most of the work will be for sale.