Helen grew up thinking every house had a darkroom, as her father was a keen photographer. She started work as an Industrial Photographer (for the makers of Pyrex glassware) at the age of 17, but sadly was made redundant 5 years later. As she was unable to get another job behind the camera (in those days girls belonged in the darkroom, not behind the camera) so having not long been married decided to start a family instead. She moved into admin work, although photography was always her passion and she did manage to do a small amount of freelance work.
In 2014, at the age of 66 she had a complete flight of fancy, enrolled at The Northern Art School (formally Cleveland Council of Art and Design) and graduated with a first class degree in Photography. During this time she developed a passion for public art, and contacted the then Public Monument and Sculptures Association as soon as she graduated wanting to volunteer for them. Unfortunately the Association was in course of winding up, passed her on to Art UK, and in the autumn of 2019 she finally was able to start volunteering as part of the sculpture project.
Of course, Covid made life rather difficult, but Helen made the best use she could when lockdown allowed. Her long-suffering husband found himself being chauffeur, note taker and measurer of a wide variety of artworks instead of spending his retirement pottering in the garden. He also developed a skill of helping Helen sort out her north and south when writing up the descriptions, and an unrivalled ability to be 'in shot'!
