Helen Benninger

March 2 to March 19, 2023

Location: Founders Gallery

Presented by: Helen Benninger

Toronto native, Helen Benninger has always loved cutting up fabric and sewing it back together again and she hates to throw out even the tiniest scrap.

She learned to use a sewing machine as a child, began making her own clothes at the age of 13. After obtaining a degree in Dramatic Arts from the University of Waterloo, Helen began her professional sewing career many years ago in the wardrobe at the Stratford Festival. For 10 years she worked for various theatre companies across Ontario. After another 10 years as a high school math teacher she discovered the joy of quilting and left teaching to create and sell her own designs.

Helen creates one-of-a-kind visual feasts using a confident colour palette and simple geometric shapes and stripes or image collages. She often makes use of sewn-on (not fused) raw edged pieces to create texture. Her body of work includes fashion accessories, wall hangings and quilted throws and bed coverings.