Helen Harris grew up in upstate New York, where the fields, lakes, and brooks of her childhood instilled a lasting love of nature—an influence that remains at the heart of her art.
She earned a BFA in Graphic Design from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and began her career in commercial art. In New York City, Helen worked with DC Comics, contributed to freelance projects, and taught classes, creating everything from coloring books to spot illustrations. Her career later expanded into signage and display work in New Jersey.
After settling in New Jersey to raise her three daughters, Helen turned her focus toward painting. Over the years, she has explored watercolor, acrylics, oils, and mixed media. While her subjects range from seascapes and florals to abstracts, landscapes remain her deepest inspiration, reflecting the natural beauty she first experienced as a child.
“My art is rooted in memory,” Helen explains. “As a child, I walked the fields, played in the lakes and brooks, and hiked the hillsides. The tactile excitement of those moments is what I want to capture and share with my collectors.”
Her early recognition came through innovative mixed-media works that combined rice papers, textured gels, watercolor, gouache, and collage. Travels across the United States, especially to the West Coast, have further shaped her evolving style. In recent years, Helen has embraced a disciplined daily practice, often working in oils, to continue her artistic exploration.
For more than 50 years, Helen’s award-winning work has been exhibited in galleries and outdoor shows along the East Coast. Her landscapes capture both the grandeur of Western mountains and the serenity of Eastern shorelines, earning praise from collectors for her masterful use of texture and color to reimagine familiar scenes.
Beyond the studio, Helen enjoys gardening, hiking, and spending time with her six grandchildren.