Educated in Bournemouth and later attaining a BA Honours Degree in Graphic Design at Middlesex University, Helen embarked upon a career in graphic design and illustration. However, it wasn’t long before freelance painting took over her life. Helen’s main passion is painting wildlife in acrylic ink. Her extensive portfolio extends to harbours, boats, buildings, portraiture, landscapes, even carousel merry-go-round fairground horses. She is extremely versatile in all media particularly acrylic inks, watercolour, graphite and pastels. From miniature watercolours to large canvasses, from fine detail to loose abstract contemporary form, Helen is constantly experimenting in new styles and textures.
Helen strives to capture a ‘moment in time’ otherwise unnoticed, such as a robin whiling away a quiet moment patiently waiting for a gardener to expose freshly dug earth or a tabby cat shamelessly eyeing an array of birds feeding on a garden table. She constantly sees wonderment in so many things around her that it feels like a race to capture those moments onto paper. The challenge is always being able to do the painting justice so that others can share in the beauty of that special moment.
Inspired by internationally acclaimed artists such as Henri Rousseau and the captivating and stunning artwork of Carl Brenders, Helen’s art has been widely exhibited including the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art, David Shepherd’s Wildlife Artist of The Year Exhibition, the Society of Feline Artists, the Society of Fine Graphic Art in the Menier Gallery, London as well as numerous local art venues. Her work is held in private collections throughout the UK, Norway, America and Australia. As a champion of acrylic ink, Helen has had her article on ‘How to Paint a Cat’ in acrylic ink published in the S.A.A. Magazine.
Helen has tutored extensively over 26 years through weekly art classes, demonstrations and workshops. She enjoys immense satisfaction in encouraging her students to blossom along the road of artistic discovery and individual aspirations.