Helen studied at the Central School of Art and Design in London in 1969 after completing her Foundation at Farnham in 1965. She also holds a Diploma in Printmaking from Anglia Ruskin University. She has exhibited nationally for over 20 years and in Belgium and Holland since 2002.

“I am fascinated by body language within both moving and still images. The exaggerated and stylised movements in silent movies provide inspiration. Equally interesting are Mogul and Persian miniatures; a static gesture, combined with intricate and symbolic composition, captures a moment that tells both a past and a future story. My sculptures, often intimate in size, relate to moments where significant or small events in people’s lives are revealed through gestures and communication.”

Helen uses hand-building techniques with soft, flexible sheets of high-firing clay. These sheets are freely cut, curved, and twisted. Surfaces are decorated with slips, underglaze pigments, paper and wax resists. Silver, gold, and copper leaf as well as lustres are often added.