About.

helen carter of secret lentil

Oh look, another white midde-aged lady textile artist.

Hi. I'm Helen.

I'm a friendly freak — a minimalist with a strong absurdist streak who likes to make clothes that explore, blend, cross [and possibly desecrate] all the lines within those realms. I started making clothes because I hate clothes, and if I'm honest, I still find them mildly suspicious. I'm an artist, not a fashion designer. I sculpt clothes. 

I'm committed to the paradox of making meaningful clothing.

Other than that, I like to cook spicy pastes and swear a lot. My favorite sewing machine is tattoed on one forearm, my typewriter on the other. 

About the work:

Dour things with hidden punchlines, and stupidly funny things with dark underbellies satisfy me endlessly. I thrive on turning ideas into wearable objects. I dream that my work could somehow emerge from — and exist outside of — this blip in time that we share together. I'm attached to that idea and not sure exactly what it means. I don't think it even makes any sense: I still want it.

About the process:

I sew intuitively, blending materials and techniques to suit my needs. I like deconstructing. I like exposing the process. I embrace wabi sabi. I enjoy the alchemy of combining the sturdy with the raw. I'm interested in sincere wildness and joining others who are exploring a deep, abiding, pursuit of authenticity in this life.