Helen George

Helen is a former Jersey girl who has claimed Virginia home after completing college in the state. She holds a degree in Equine Science with a minor in Art. Further studies in art include classes at VCU, the VMFA Museum School, and the Visual Arts Center. 

Although training dressage horses is a 24/7 job, Helen always found time for art such as designing wedding invitations, horse show posters, creating collages, or painting wall murals, and attending classes to experiment with different mediums. Physical limitations have limited her riding career and the saving grace is more time for art!

Her current body of work encompasses altered photographs which started simply as studies for paintings but morphed into its own genre. She believes that her being computer illiterate and having self taught the use of manipulations encouraged more creativity.

A favorite quote is “Creativity is contagious, pass it on” Albert Einstein 

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Instagram: helengeorge1115

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“If you have something in your head it never comes out right, so start there and let the process take you – just trust it.”

Between training dressage horses and working in her art studio, Helen George lives a varied life. Helen moved from New Jersey to Virginia early on to study equine science and art – a unique combination. “I was always a horse girl. The horses are really 24/7, it’s not like a normal job. You don’t have much time to do anything else.”

As a licensed Equestrian Judge, Helen has spent a lot of time at shows until recently. As a result of the pandemic, and increasing back pains, Helen has shifted her focus from horses to art. “I have been able to redirect what I was doing, like making more art, because I wasn’t able to teach riding classes. Since I’m closing the horse door, I’m going to have more time to spend painting.” A challenging decision but, as they say, closing one door will open another.

With more time dedicated to her art, Helen has returned to her popular Guardian Tree series. The original series began when Helen stumbled upon a striking tree which ignited her creative side. “There is a no trespassing sign in front of this farmers field near my home, which I had driven past every day before noticing.” Immediately drawn to its magnificence, Helen says “once I noticed this Guardian Tree, I knew I wanted to keep looking at it through every season.”

Life in the Virginia countryside provides endless inspiration for Helen and she plans to eventually transform the original series into a new body of work. “I’m going to use acrylic, and beautiful papers, and will include some collage. I am also thinking about abstract landscapes to branch out from the Guardian Tree.”

Through this next chapter, Helen intends to trust the process. Wherever the journey may lead her, she says “if my art brings joy or contentment, that’s good enough for me.”

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Helen George:

1. Moved from New Jersey to Virginia to study equine science and art. Now a licensed Equestrian Judge, she balances time between the horse barn and creating art.

2. Is known for her “Guardian Tree” photography series, which began when Helen stumbled upon a striking tree in a nearby farmers field. From that moment on, she says “I knew I wanted to keep looking at it through every season.”

3. Due to increasing back pains and the pandemic, she is planning to shift her focus from horses to art.

4. She is planning for a new series of work based on the Guardian Tree, and eventually branching out to create multi-media, abstract landscapes.

5. Believes “if you have something in your head it never comes out right, so start there and let the process take you – just trust it.”