About Helen

Potter/Ceramic Artist

Helen was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and emigrated to Queensland, Australia with her husband, Les and 3 sons, in July, 2000 where they settled in Brisbane.

She studied the Fundamentals of Design at the Essex Community College in Baltimore, Maryland, USA and has been involved with ceramics and pottery for the past 35 years. Her work has been exhibited both at national and regional levels in South Africa and numerous ceramic pieces are housed in private collections internationally. She was a finalist in the Memento, Queensland Merchandise Awards, in Brisbane, in 2001 and won First Prize for the Creative Teapot Exhibition at the Maleny Arts and Crafts Teapot Show in 2006.

Her preference is for earthenware and she produces both decorative and functional ware that she feels enhances peoples’ lives with its daily use. Earthenware allows her the scope to experiment with many decorative techniques and she is constantly pursuing new and innovative ideas and ways of decorating.

Besides creating her own work, she has also taught children in pre-school, school and studio situations, adult groups in corporate workshops in the commercial sector as well as workshops in the studio environment.

“Studio 94 on Marland” in the Western Suburbs of Brisbane is where Helen offers both ceramic decorating, pottery (hand building and wheel work) and sculpting classes. Helen also produces personalized gift items for special occasions, souvenirs for the tourist trade as well as commissioned pieces for the interior-decorating sector. She is a member of Ceramic Arts Queensland as well as the Australian Ceramics Association. Helen has had many opportunities of presenting workshops for Pottery Supplies, here in Brisbane.