Helen graduated from the University of Brighton, UK in 1995, with a BA Honours in Multi Media, specializing in Jewellery and Ceramics. In 2003, she completed a City and Guilds course in Jewellery, working for John Harrington. Helen moved to Nelson in 2003, and shares a workshop with Kay Van Dyk.
Helen says, My work has its beginnings in my love of Japanese calligraphy. Through a series of drawings of leaves and foliage, I became drawn to the patterns in my sketches which echoed Japanese calligraphy. I then interpreted these drawings into pieces of jewellery. I use mainly sterling silver, often with 18 carat gold. I love the subtle colour differences between metals, particularly the effect of using 18 carat yellow gold against a background of oxidized silver.
