Coming from a wide & varied career, including General Manager & CEO ..leaving Corporate life, I went on to study Graphic Design and follow my heart …
From living in Far North Queensland, as well as Country & Coastal towns in NSW & Queensland, accompany that with a love of travel, years of sailing on many racing yachts & charter boats, horse riding & equestrian events …add to that, a love of photography, all of which open up to a large variety of subjects & experiences, which I use as inspirations for my paintings & drawings..
I went on to achieve an Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design and Multimedia .. and after many years as a Freelance, Graphic & Web designer, I finally decided to concentrate solely on developing my own artwork further. My initial aim was to learn how to adopt Watercolour into my Pen & Ink studies, without being told I was “just colouring in” to which, has now developed a love for the medium by itself .
I have attended many workshops in Australia & Overseas, from world renowned Watercolourists.
Tutors such as Robert Wade OAM , Alvaro Castagnet, Ross Paterson, Malcolm Beattie, Jacky Pearson, Guy Troughton, Barry & Lucy McCann, Chan Dissanyake, Rob Candy, John Haycraft and from the United States, Keiko Tanabe, and the list goes on…. All of which, greatly influence my work & style..
My “heroes” in watercolour are Robert Wade OAM, Jack McDonogh, Sydney Long & Hans Heysen…but none moreso than Beatrix Potter, as it was her imagination and illustrations that I loved from my childhood, that when I saw her original works in Birnam in Scotland and the World of Beatrix Potter at Bowness on Windermere, I knew that was to be my new direction ….. Watercolours !!
In 2012, I became a Member of The Central Coast Watercolour Society, and held numerous positions such as Beginners & Workshop Coordinator, Website & Social Media Office & Assistant Treasurer , unfortunately having to retire all positions in 2017.. due to ongoing ill health..
In 2015 , I joined the Hunter Arts Network, & Society Of Artists, Newcastle, then in 2016 I was invited to become a member of The Newcastle & Lake Macquarie Art Society.
SO in late 2016, I decided to make the change from HEKTIK Designs…(Websites & Photography) …… to HELKINART – Watercolour Artist 😀
A move to Lorn in 2020, I then joined the Maitland Regional Society of Artists … returning back to the Lake in May 2023 and looking forward to the opening of my new Studio in Belmont…
My Mum was always a great supporter of my Art and she would always attend many of the Exhibition and Art prizes with me.. She would call herself my Sales & Marketing Agent.. Sadly, she passed away just before the TOMAS Award night in 2020, where I won the Major Watercolour award. I only wish I could’ve shared this achievement with her, but hopefully she was there with me .. as I am sure she would not have missed it 😉 …
A Current Member of…
Hunter Arts Network
Maitland Region Society of Artists
Society of Artists Newcastle
Newcastle & Lake Macquarie Art Society
Newcastle Plein Air Painters
Newcastle Urban Sketchers
Central Coast Watercolour Society