Helen Shelley’s work considers grief, mortality, transformation and the ways we maintain relationships with people after death. Drawing on imagery from nature, cosmology and ritual, her paintings and mixed-media works often use reflective Perspex, glitter and translucent surfaces to explore ideas of continuity, wonder and transcendence. Her practice is informed by both personal experience and an ongoing interest in the rituals and belief systems people construct around loss.
Bio
Helen Shelley lives and works on the unceeded lands of the Gadigal and Wangal people (Sydney, NSW, Australia). Shelley graduated from the Canberra School of Art, Australian National University with first class honours. In 2015 she graduated from Sydney College of the Arts with a Masters Degree (Research) in Painting. She has held solo exhibitions at Galerie Pompom, Grant Pirrie, Flinders Street Gallery, Canberra Contemporary Art Space and has been included in exhibitions at First Draft Gallery, Casula Powerhouse, Rubicon Ari and James Makin Gallery. Shelley has been a finalist in The Churchie, The Redlands Westpac Art Prize, The Blake Prize, The Kings School Art Prize and most recently the Wollongong Art Prize. Her work is held in the Artbank collection and private collections both nationally and internationally.
Education
2024 — Master of Art Therapy with Distinction, Western Sydney University, Sydney.
2015 — Master of Fine Arts (Research), Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney.
2006 — Graduate Diploma of Education, University of Canberra, Canberra.
2003 — Bachelor of Arts (Visual) with first class honours, Canberra School of Art, Australian National University.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2027- Upcoming solo exhibition, Civic Art Bureau, Canberra, ACT.
2022 — Hope, Galerie pompom, Chippendale, Sydney.
2018 — The Earth’s Crust, The Baby’s Breath, Galerie pompom, Chippendale, Sydney.
2017 – New Life Old Life New Life, Interlude Gallery, Glebe, Sydney.
2015 – Our Late Loved Ones, Flinders Street Gallery, Surry Hills, Sydney.
2013 – Grief, Flinders Street Gallery, Surry Hills, Sydney.
2011 – Life Insurance, GRANTPIRRIE, Redfern, Sydney.
2010 – Death Proof, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Gorman House (main space), Braddon, Canberra.
2009 – Immortality with out the Assistance of God, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Manuka, Canberra.
2008 – UNDERSTANDING DEATH WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF GOD, The Front Gallery, Canberra.
2005 – Object(ively), Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Manuka, Canberra.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2027 - Upcoming three person exhibition, curated by Ali Noble, Stanley Street Gallery, Sydney, NSW.
2025 - Wollongong Art Prize, Wollongong Gallery, Wollongong.
2025- Firstdraft Fundraising Exhibition, Firstdraft Gallery, Sydney.
2022 — Come Back All Is Forgiven, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra.
2022 — The Edge of Light, Measured Gallery, Canberra.
2022 — King’s School Art Prize, The King’s School, Sydney.
2021 — Super Natural Light Affinity, ANCA, Canberra.
2021 — I Came to See, Martin Place, Sydney.
2020 — Evocations, Margaret Lawrence Gallery, Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne.
2019 — Our Neon Foe, Fundraising Exhibition, Sydney.
2017 — Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, showing with Interlude Gallery, Sydney.
2017 – Young Moderns, Penrith Regional Gallery, Penrith, Sydney.
2017 – The Rubies, ANU School of Arts 40th Anniversary, Canberra.
2017 – Emotionalism, AirSpace Projects, Marrickville, Sydney.
2017 – Coluring Out, @RKD gallery, Canberra.
2016 – The Blake Prize, Finalists Exhibition, Casula Powerhouse, Casula, Sydney.
2016 – Lady Voodoo, Rubicon ARI, North Melbourne, Melbourne.
2016 – New Contemporaries, Sydney College of the Arts, Rozelle, Sydney.
2015 – Sydney College of the Arts Graduating Exhibition, Rozelle, Sydney.
2015 – DEATH, Casula Powerhouse, Casula, Sydney.
2014 – Christmas Show, Flinders Street Gallery, Surry Hills, Sydney.
2012 – Word of Mouth-encounters with abstract art, Canberra Museum and Gallery, Acton, Canberra.
2012 – Black,White and Colour, Flinders Street Gallery, Surry Hills, Sydney.
2012 – Seemingly Ceaseless, Sawtooth ARI, Launceston.
2011 – PAGAN POP, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Gorman House Arts Centre, Canberra.
2011 – The Otherings, Firstdraft Gallery, Sydney.
2011 – The Zero Dollar Show, West Space, Melbourne.
2010 – Redlands Westpac Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney.
2010 – This Way Up, Canberra School of Art, Australian National University.
2010 – Partly Cloudy, Canberra School of Art, Australian National University.
2009 – Off the Wall, Art Sydney, Hall of Industries, Sydney.
2009 – Friday On My Wall, recent works by Helen Shelley and Leah Bullen, Canberra School of Art, Australian National University, Canberra.
2009 – The Churchie, National Emerging Art Exhibition, Brisbane.
2009 – Painters of Modern Life, Canberra School of Art, Australian National University, Canberra.
2008 – New Prints, Arte-Moris, Dili, Timor-Leste.
2006 – Retroactive, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Manuka, Canberra, (collaborative work with Derek O’Connor).
2006 – Picture This, Canberra School of Art, Australian National University.
2006 – Six Pack, White Space, Auckland, New Zealand, curated by Peter Fay.
2005 – Chica, A Female Perspective, Platform, Melbourne.
2005 – Chica, A Female Perspective, Rocketart, Newcastle.
2005 – Chica, A Female Perspective, Phatspace, Sydney.
2004 – ASOC Annual Exhibition, Albert Hall, Canberra.
2004 – Alliance Francaise Graduate Exhibtion, Alliance Francaise, Canberra.
2003 – CCAS and The Art Store Award, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra.
2003 – Graduating Exhibition, 180 degrees, Canberra School of Art, Australian National University.
2003 – Canberra Art Prize, Italo Club, Canberra.
PRIZES, AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES
The Wollongong Art Prize
The Kings School Art Prize
The Blake Prize, Casula Powerhouse
The Redlands Westpac Art Prize
The Churchie
The Alliance Francaise Exhibition Award
The Network Economics Consulting Group Acquisition Award
The Artists Society of Canberra, Traveling Scholarship. This scholarship enabled travel throughout New Zealand, Canada and Europe as a means to further artistic development.
Artis in resident and volunteer teacher, Arte-Moris, Dili, Timor-Leste.
COLLECTIONS
Artbank, Sydney, Australia.
Peter Fay Collection, Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia.
Private collections in Australia, New Zealand, Timor-Leste and Portugal.