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Helen Paxton Brown (1876 - 1956) was an artist associated with the Glasgow Girls, was also know as "Nel". Born in Hillhead, Glasgow to a Scottish father and English mother and she spent most of her life in Glasgow. Best known for her painting and embroidering she also worked in a range of mediums such as leather, book binding and also painted china.

Education and Career
She studied at Glasgow School of Art (1894-1901) under directorship of the progressive Fra. H Newbery. She was a student of Ann Macbeth at GSA and then went on to teach art embroidery to teachers at GSA from 1904-1907 (embroidery being an important part of GSA craft at that time) and then book binding from 1911-1913. It was whilst studying at GSA that she met her good friend Jessie M King who she shared a studio flat with at 101 St Vincent Street, Glasgow from around 1898-1907 when King got married.

After GSA she went to Paris to attend sketching classes and was an admirer of the free style of French Impressionists and would continue to visit Paris throughout her career. Her work mainly captures people out enjoying life, capturing atmosphere and café scenes (reflecting her interest in fashion and clothes), but she also painted landscapes and flowers too.

In the 1900s Patrick Geddes and Fran Newberry led a number of Scottish masques and pageants relating to Pan-Celtic events involving a range of Arts and Crafts designers from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Helen Paxton Brown was involved in the “historical” pageant production at Glasgow University.

Exhibitions and Commissions
She joined “The Glasgow Society of Artists”  (started by Alexander Frew) which women could join unlike the all male Glasgow Art Club. She was also a member of the Lady Artists’ Club from 1905, made an honorary member in 1948 where her work could often be found as well as at the Glasgow Art Institute.

From 1920s started using more bright colours and bolder designs in both her painting and embroidery. This development was shown in a joint exhibition with frined Jessie M King at the Glasgow Society of Lady Artists’ exhibition in April 1931 called “Spring in Three Room” which not only showed their paintings but saw them taking over 3 rooms which were decorated in bright yellows and creams showing different home decoration which was in stark contrast to the contemporary styles of dark furniture of the time. Jessie M King and Paxton Brown exhibited their work on several occasions together.

In 1925 she received a commission from Mount Blow, Dalmuir to paint 12 mural panels of nursery rhymes (through the Glasgow Corporation Welfare Scheme).

Examples of her work can today be see in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow.