Artist Statement
Local Central Coast artist Helen Mortimer is devoted to honing her craft as an oil painter, who relishes the opportunity to capture the finest of details. She took her first oil painting lesson when she was 16 years old and has loved painting with oils ever since. She likes to show the beauty in her subjects with their highly detailed surfaces. Her subject matter can be varied from still life to flowers and portraiture. She is always aware of her surroundings and has the philosophy that inspiration can strike at any time from the most unusual places or situations.

“It is important to me to connect with the viewer on an emotional level, either through their own lived experience or drawing on a memory from their past”

Helen instigated a portrait exhibition titled “Who We Are” at Gosford Regional Gallery, featuring portraits of local people who have contributed to life on
the Central Coast in a positive way. This interest in social commentary; has been an ongoing theme throughout her artistic career along with involvement in several successful community art projects and exhibitions.

Helen has been a finalist in the Gosford Art Prize and the Hunters Hill and Hornsby Art Prizes and a member of Art Studios Cooperative and Art in Sync. exhibiting locally as well as Newcastle and Sydney in group shows. Helen’s paintings are held in private collections in Australia, America, and Japan.

Education
Newcastle University Bachelor of Art Visual Arts 1996
Newcastle College of Advanced Education
Diploma of Art 1980

Exhibitions
2022 “Dreams” Wyong Art House
2018 “Who We Are” Exhibition with Lorraine MacLarty, Gosford Regional Gallery
2017 “Personas” Art Studios Gallery Gosford
2017 Australian Spirit” Art Studios Gallery Gosford
2016 “Water Lines” C Studios Gallery Newcastle
2015 “Australian Spirit” Art Studios Gallery Gosford
2014 “The Design Gallery Group Exhibition” The Design Gallery Terrigal
2011 “Being Human” John Paynter, Gallery Newcastle
1998 “The Rose” Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery

Art Prize
Finalist Gosford Art Prize Exhibition 2022, 2019, 2018, 2016,2013, 2009, 2000, 1998
Finalist Hunters Hill Art Prize 2022, 2019, 2017

Magazine Feature
2020 International Magazine, selected to feature in “Collection Pan Arab Luxury Magazine”.
Page 91 “Artists Around the World”

Public Art
2020-2023 Selected as 1 of 60 artists from around the world to have paintings that will be permanently displayed as part of the “Timeless Immortal Art” Public Installation in Italy and China.