Trained as a nurse at Royal Melbourne Hospital in Victoria 1962-1965

Went to Canada (via the U.S.A.) in 1966 and spent most of the next four years in the Arctic on Baffin Island, in Inuit communities, then after travelling to the U.K. and Europe, returned to Melbourne in 1971 and completed a midwifery course.

I moved to Albany, Western Australia in 1976 with my husband and three young sons. We built a house on 30 acres near Muttonbird Beach and designed everything according to permaculture principles. I practiced as a mifwife for home and hospital births.

In 1989 I went to Kintore in Central Australia, as a nurse/midwife and then to Ernabella and Mimilie. I continued drawing and painting and when I came back I wrote a book, Birthing in Paradise published by Jarrahdale Press.

I then built my second house "Seahorse Cottage" a few minutes from the sea at Lowlands beach. From this base I worked as a community nurse at a variety of places around Western Australia, including mining towns, Shark Bay and the Abrolhos Islands.

Artistic development

Attended art classes at the Contemporary Artist's Society in East Melbourne 1963-1964

Attended Great Southern Regional College, Albany, and obtained a Diploma in Art. Wood fired pots became my passion and I built a kiln. I was also having a lot of fun with printmaking and painting.

My first exhibition of oil paintings was in Melbourne when I was 20. Subsequently I exhibited in Perth, Denmark and Albany. My work is in private collections, Great Southern TAFE and the University of New England.

My current interests lie in semi-abstract oil painting, ceramics and life drawing.

Contact Helen

Telephone:  +61 8 9842 8009
Mobile:  0427 848 399