ABOUT
Helen Fraser is a mid career visual artist and psychologist connecting the past to the present using symbols that can lead to healing and growth. Fascinated by textiles, dreams and the relationship between the conscious and unconscious, Helen creates drawings, paintings, textiles and installations that explore history, memory, place and identity in ways that commemorate, memorialise, process and transform.
Her drawings and textiles have been featured in MindFood Magazine and Down Under Textiles and she has been interviewed by ABC Radio Bendigo and Canberra. Her quilt block from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights quilt project was projected onto the front of Old Parliament House during Enlighten Canberra Festival 2019 leading to an interest in public art. She has held six solo exhibitions with the last two in public galleries within Hume City Council, Melbourne. She is sought out for regular speaking engagements.
Over the last six years she has developed a community called Yumi Olgeta: Crafting a More Inclusive Democracy with the descendants of Australia's slave trade of blackbirding. She runs regular craft workshops to bring further recognition to this history. The first quilt project will be donated the Museum of Australian Democracy in 2024. The second quilt, which will be donated to City of Sydney in 2026, will begin this year as part of the Australian South Sea Islander Recognition Day on 25th August.
Helen currently lives and works in the Macedon Ranges, Victoria, Australia. Her work is held in private and public collections in Australia, NZ, USA, Canada and Italy. Her work can be purchased through regular solo and group shows, Falkner Gallery Castlemaine and Radius Art Hepburn Springs in Victoria, Australia and her mailing list. Studio visits can be arranged by appointment.
5% of all profits from this business are donated to the Australian South Sea Islanders, Port Jackson, Sydney on an annual basis. Helen is also a proud supporter of It's the Little Things Community in Melbourne.
To keep up to date with Helen's art, news and exclusive offers, don't forget to sign up to her weekly email newsletter!
Curriculum Vitae
Solo Exhibitions
2023 Under One Sky, Town Hall Broadmeadows Gallery, Broadmeadows.
2020 The Jefferson Grid, Hume Global Learning Centre Public Gallery, Sunbury.
2018 Tassels and Fragments, Falkner Gallery, Castlemaine
2017 Mountain Is Myself, Gallerysmith Project Space , North Melbourne
2017 Mummy, I’ve Lost my Teddy, Alternating Current Art Space, Windsor
2013 Footsteps Through the Forest, Exhibit Artist Space, Kyneton
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023 Connect Apart, Mt Macedon Gallery with Kaz Vanders Ceramics
2023 Connections, Falkner Gallery, Castlemaine includes Castlemaine Festival
2023 Out of the Racks, Radius Art, Hepburn Springs
2021 Radius Gallery, Hepburn Springs
2021 Compact, Alternating Current Art Space, Windsor, Melbourne
2021 Journey, Falkner Gallery, Castlemaine includes Castlemaine Festival
2019 Xmas Show, Falkner Gallery, Castlemaine
2019 Artistic Needles, Embroiderers Guild Annual Exhibition
2019 Crafting Resistance, Kingston Arts
2019 St Kevins Art Show, Melbourne
2019 Six Moments in Kingston Public Bus tour (part of Tal Fitzpatrick’s exhibit)
2018-20 UDHR Quilt Project Exhibition, Old Parliament House, Canberra
2018 Embroidery For All Seasons, Embroidery Guild of Vic, Bendigo Branch
2018 Small Works From a Big Place, Jumpleads, Central Victoria
2018 Follow the Thread, Living Arts Space, Bendigo
2018 Camberwell Art Show, Melbourne
2018 Collaberration with Danish Quapoor, Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery
2017 Annual Altered Book/Book Arts Exhibition, Marin MOCA, California
2017 Nasty Women Everywhere, Melbourne
2017 Nasty Women Art Exhibition, New York
2015 White Shoe Box Gallery, Castlemaine State Festival
2015 Art in the Streets, Bendigo
2014 Diversity, Black Anther Gallery, Woodend
2013 Imagine, Bakery Lane, Woodend
2013 Picture This, Gasworks Art Park
Public Installation
2023
Acrylic Painting titled 'Under One Sky' enlarged onto Exceloo Amenity Unit in Sunbury. Funded by Hume City Council. To be constructed July-August 2023.
2020
Tassel Ink Drawing titled ‘Exuberance’ used in ‘Site Echoes’, Movenpick Hotel, Hobart, Julie Stoneman and Futago 2020, Digital Print in Glass.
2019
United Declaration of Human Rights Quilt Block (Article 4: Ban on Slavery) shown on the front of Old Parliament House in Canberra during the Enliven Canberra light show on Friday 8th March, 2019.
Bibilography
‘Local Artist Explores Pandemic in Solo Show’, Gisborne Gazette, May 2023 Edition, p.15.
‘Decolonise through Creative Practice: currently writing a book for RIT Press in Rochester, New York State about the ASSI Collaborative Quilt and my involvement with the Australian South Sea Islanders. Due to be published 2023/4
Yumi Olgeta Embroidery and Applique Instruction Booklet in collaboration with the Australian South Sea Islanders Port Jackson. Funded by City of Sydney.
‘Creativity takes Flight’, Sunbury Leader, Tuesday Mar 3rd, 2020, p.6
‘The Jefferson Grid’,This is Sunbury Magazine, March 2020 Edition, p 12-15.
Children of Sugar Slaves; Black and Resilient, Waskam Emelda Davis Masters Thesis (2020)
‘Yumi Olgeta; an Inclusive Craftivism Workshop’, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, Canberra
‘The Democratic Power of Craftivism’, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, Canberra
‘Enhance Your Natural Beauty with Creativity’, Medicare Beauty Digital Magazine, USA
‘It is Never Too Late to Create; Fulfilling Your Dream to be an Artist at Midlife’, Medicare Beauty Digital Magazine, USA
‘A Long Search For My True Voice’, Down Under Textiles, Edition 34, Nov/Dec 2018, p.73-76.
Gisborne Gazette: ‘A Meditative Exhibition’, April 2018, p. 10
MindFood Magazine: 2018 Future Trends Report – Slavery in Art Form, Jan/Feb 2018, p.11.
Looking Down Under: Contemporary Artists From Australia, 2016, p.164-165.
Bendigo Advertiser, ‘A Child Of The Forest’, February 18, 2015, p. 04
Bendigo Advertiser, 'Art In The Streets 2015: Showcasing Local and Regional Artists', February 13, 2015, p.03 & .06
Sunbury Leader, 'Childhood Memories Come To Life', June 11, 2013, p. 07
Radio
ABC Radio Canberra interview by Greg Bayliss on Saturday 17th August, 2019, 7.07am to discuss Craftivism and the Yumi Olgeta:Crafting a More Inclusive Democracy Workshop being held that afternoon at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House.
ABC Central Victoria interview by Derek Guille with Sharon Seyd, Founder of Jumpleads and curator of Small Works From a Big Place travelling exhibition. Topics included the exhibition and the importance of buying local art. Thursday 22nd Nov, 2018, 6.40am.
Joy949 FM, Sunday Arts Magazine presented by David Hunt (The Art Hunter), Neil D’Vauz, Justin Porter and Eve Gilbert on Sunday 28th May at 4.10pm.
Podcast
Contributor to Crista Cloutier’s podcast series for artists ‘The Working Artist: Step-by-Step Guide from Feather to Wings. Interviewed via Skype on 11th June 2019.
Panel Discussion
"Health, Art and Happiness"; Part of Marco Luccio's Exhibition Cuorosensa: A Reverse Archaeology at Fortyfive Downstairs 4-29 April 2023. On Saturday 22nd April TV and Radio Host, David Hunt, The Art Hunter interviewed Marco Luccio - Artist, Guy Grossi - Chef, Ian Summers - Emergency Physician and Photographer, Helen Fraser - Artist, Psychologist and Psychotherapist about the positive impact of art in our lives.
Collections
Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, Canberra, Australia
Epworth Hospital, Melbourne
Centre for Adult Education Library, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne
Rob Dolan Winery, Melbourne
Imago Mundi – Luciano Benetton Collection, Italy
Private Collections in Australia, NZ, USA and Canada