A Life in Art

Trained in Fine Art at Liverpool College of Art (alongside John Lennon and his future wife Cynthia) and, later, the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, I originally enjoyed an exciting career as a portrait painter in Italy and the UK: I've painted a great number of celebrities, aristocrats and dignitaries.


I have always specialised in oil paintings: portraits in particular but also places of beauty including my beloved south of France. I love classical, technical line drawing and also work in other media, depending on the project, including fabric paints and acrylics.

Sketches

Most of my sketches are studies for paintings but sometimes I sketch for fun, to commissions… or out of boredom. I sketch in pencil, charcoal, sanguine and occasionally plain old Biro!

Decorative paintings

I occasionally turn to watercolours or acrylics for my decorative painting commissions, but most of my pieces are in oils.

I have probably completed more decorative paintings in the south of France than anywhere else in the world: a few abstracts and murals but primarily landsapes capturing my favourite spots from St Tropez to St Paul-de-Vence.

Portraits

Every artist has their favourite medium: for me it’s always been oils. I sometimes wish it weren’t because oil paintings are so very time-consuming… but the end result of all those layers is just so rewarding, with great richness and depth.

Portrait painting is my first great love. I reish the challenge of capturing a likeness in two dimensions but I’m also a detail freak and adore painting fabrics, jewellery and books.
 

Get in touch with Helen