Helen Ansell

Guest Speaker - Helen Ansell

 Helen Ansell, a talented Western Australian artist who’s gained international acclaim.

She works from her art gallery in Mullewa, a small town near Geraldton, proving that big talent can thrive in regional settings.
Helen grew up in Ululla, a remote Aboriginal community, near Wiluna, and Meekatharrra, in central WA, where her deep ties to the indigenous people and the rugged desert landscape were inspired.

Her vibrant paintings of native flora and fauna truly capture the essence of Australian art, bursting with colour and life.
She keeps the art scene dynamic, regularly launching new exhibitions like her 2022 ‘Floral Fashionista,’ where she teamed up with Flax and Fleece to create a limited-edition clothing line inspired by her work.

Helen’s a creative powerhouse, bringing the spirit of our region to the world stage!
 
 
 
Helen grew up in Meekatharra where she sold her first painting while still at school for $60. She left Meeka to attend university where she graduated with a degree in Social Sciences specialising in Youth Work. She moved to Edinburgh, Scotland where she was an artist for three years before returning to WA.
 
She then went to live with her father at Ululla, south of Wiluna and it was there that she saw her childhood landscapes through different eyes and started to focus her art on native flora and fauna. She started to work in different mediums and decided because of lack of money to make Mullewa her home. It was the cheapest place to buy a house.
 
Along the way she came into Geraldton to do a barista course at TAFE and was able to combine her art gallery with a coffee shop. Last year she was open for twelve months of the year and the locals had somewhere to have a coffee and meet. She says she can sell more artwork in Mullewa that she can in Perth. However she now has a F/T stall at the Fremantle markets and can afford to employ people.
She agrees that big cities are hot spots of creativity but believes she has turned that tradition on its head with her success in Mullewa.
 
Questions:
Kevin Green on opening hours.
Jim Dillon comments on people moving to Pindar (Mullewa's tiny neighbour).
Tony Ambrose on the wildflower season. Last year was the 'best' in 46 years!
 
Hugh Lavery thanked Helen for being our Giest Speaker and presented her with a certificate representing a donation of 50 vaccinations to Rotary International's End Polio Now Campaign on her behalf.
Helen supports the Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton and the Community - Check out her online shop at helenansell.com/shop/