HalfwayThere III

As an immigrant to Australia, the landscape is impossible, so vast and empty with unfamiliar colours and shapes yet it resonates with echoes of recognition. It has taken many years to feel comfortable enough to paint it. I initially found the landscape here ridiculously vast, the enormous vistas, huge skies, overwhelming scale and unfamiliar terrain have taken years to become accustomed to. As an artist, the colours, light and shapes have taken a long time to assimilate into my visual vocabulary.My seascape paintings are all based on the walk from Sunshine Beach to Hastings Street through the Noosa National Park, or if you are smart the other way round. The walk has become part of our family ritual of any visit to Noosa. A trip does not seem complete if we haven't made at least one walk along the stunning coastal path to the lookout at Hells' Gate and beyond. The contrast between the quiet majesty of the park and the busy streets of the two townships is stark. There is a sense of magic in this unique place which whispers of faraway places. Halfway There III is looking back towards the Cooloola Coast.

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Helen has been a practising artist since completing an MA in Textiles at Manchester Metropolitan University. She is a full-time artist and tutor, working and teaching from her purpose-built studio set on 9 rural acres in Cedar Creek, northside of Brisbane.She lived and worked in Bermuda for many years before settling in SE Queensland. Her work has been shown in group and solo exhibitions in the USA, Canada, The Caribbean, the UK, Bermuda, Europe, Russia and Australia, it can be found in private, corporate and public collections.

Helen's art is bursting with exuberant colour and texture realised in acrylic on board.Her work begins with observational drawings on location developed into lushly layered paintings in the studio. Her work explores genius loci, seeking to find echoes and connections to other places and spaces. Her love of landscape and gardens nurtures ancestral connection and is a central theme of her practice. Her textile training is evident in the marks, pattern, texture and colour of her work.

She completed a year-long artist-in-residence at a local flower farm in May 2024. Her time at the farm produced a major body of work of plein air landscapes and botnical studio paintings. She spent the year drawing and painting on location. Her drawings were developed into richly textured paintings in the studio.

Helen's practice is realised in acrylic on ply. The majority of her work is finished with 3 coats of gloss medium. This enhances the complex layers of paint and colour in the work. If you would like a stain finish please message Helen and she can apply a soft wax to render a satin finish.