Learning to surf

Helena Horsley’s passion for art, texture and design – combined with an enthusiasm for culture and a rich imagination – all add to the sense of story, mystery and magic that permeates her works. It is a trademark style that has developed as a result of a life that has been filled with events you normally only read about in best-selling novels.

With Russian blood in her veins and a war hero for a father, it should come as no surprise to read that she began sailing the high seas with the likes of Sarah Henderson, author and station owner, when she was young. It was during those seven memorable years she met the famous 1930s American heiress, Doris Duke.

A close friendship developed and she left the sea taking to the air, crisscrossing the planet in Doris’s private 727 jet numerous times. If they weren’t staying in one of Doris’s many palaces around the world, rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous, they were exploring the great wildernesses of the regions.

Needless to say, Helena used the time to develop her formidable talent as an artist, utilising her exposure to such a variety of places and people to fuel her already fertile imagination. The end result is an artist who is sought after by collectors internationally, especially in the US.

Walker Inman, married to the granddaughter of celebrated Australian artist, Norman Lindsay, recognised her talent 11 years ago. An extensive collector of contemporary fine art, he has acquired 25 of Helena Horsley’s paintings since then. Inman’s keen eye has paid off. Over the last five years, Helena Horsley’s paintings have shown an average 300 per cent increase on the original investment.

Their worth as both an excellent blue chip investment and a pleasing work to have on the wall is often recognised by local and international collectors alike. One of her recent works is gracing the walls of iconic Australian Greg Norman’s family.

Quite apart from the obvious quality of her work, Helena’s style is rooted in her incredible versatility. It is rare for her to do more than one collection in a particular style, making her works more than a little unique. In other words, if you like a painting she’s done, it’s best to snap it up while it’s available, as there’s every chance that it’s the last time she’ll do one like it. No wonder the value of her works skyrocketed in 2005!

Helena Horsley lives and paints from her studio on the Gold Coast.
Commissions and interior designs, working with colour harmony, are her specialties.