Meet The Founder

Helen Pollard

Artist’s Statement

The physical act of engaging with paint for me is an inner investigation and a process of discovery. I believe that the gestural mark is a direct physical expression. There is always an intense experience, emotion and feelings that relate to a memory, time and place that I aim to translate in paint.’ Jackson Pollock stated, “painting for me is energy made visible” I aim to capture the experience of my travels through South East Asia, Europe and Australia. To capture the true essences of the places I have explored through colour and form. I do not wish to copy nature, merely to use it as a starting point. The diverse environments in which I have lived and travelled have provided an immense inspiration to my work. Capturing memories and inspired by the mood and atmosphere of a place and time. I aim to celebrate the power of nature and the effects of the elements, wind, fire and water; the combined forces that create the ‘marks on the landscape’.

Artist’s Bio

Helen is the founder of Artea Art School and is a professional artist. She graduated from Lancaster University in England with a Fine Arts degree specialising in Painting and Printmaking in 2003 before coming to Australia. In 2008 Helen graduated her Masters of Art: Art in Public Space at the University of RMIT in Melbourne. Over the past few years she has been establishing her artistic career through a variety of exhibitions, workshops and projects throughout Victoria and internationally. These include exhibiting at Melbourne Art Show, The Publican Gallery, Chapel on Chapel; public art commissions in Prato, Italy, Xian, China and Sile, Turkey as well as laneway installations in the City of Dandenong, Box Hill, Heidelberg and Federation Square. Helen has been awarded two years running the Judgers Choice Award for aRtECYCLE, Ephemeral Sculptural installation for Moonee Ponds art festival. She has worked as the Curator for the City of Whittlesea Celebration Annual Exhibition and Project Manager of the Whittlesea Agricultural 150th Sculptural Project. She has also ran a children’s creative arts program called Mini Picasso’s for Elwood and The Grange Primary Schools, Seabrook and the Louis Joel Arts and Community Centre’s. As well as an outreach program for disengaged youths at Baseline Youth services.

Commissions Welcome