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Helen Leach was encouraged from earliest years to be interested in art. Members of both her mother's and father's families displayed considerable artistic ability but Helen and her sister, Anne Spudvilas, are the first to become professional in the field of fine arts.
Married, with three adult children, Helen lives on a rural property at Lake Lonsdale on the edge of the Grampians Ranges in Victoria. She works as a tourist officer and can be contacted at either the Stawell or Halls Gap Visitor Information Centres. Helen began to paint and exhibit regularly in the late 70's. She won her first awards for oil painting at the 1978 and 1979 annual G.A.M.A. outdoor art shows in Geelong, and has received awards for works in oil and pastel, and occasionally watercolour and inks, almost every year since then at the Regional Victoria Art Shows.Her work gained new strength following her family's move from the Ballarat area to the Grampians in the early 80's. Her paintings since then have been frequently based on the open country and birdlife around her home, or depicting her favourite northern section of the Grampians, and its wildflowers. Her works are lively and colourful, ranging from small pastels to large, bold oil paintings.
Gardens comprise another favourite subject area and her home garden has been painted many times. In 1992, Helen joined fellow artists Laurie Evans, Alan Leishman and Steve Morvell, to form the 'Grampians Four' group. After some years, Steve moved away from the Grampians and his place has been taken by Moyston artist and printmaker, Nanette Bourke.
'Grampians Four' artwork is displayed all year round at the Colonial Motor Inn, Halls Gap.Helen Leach has also illustrated several children's books and is available as a freelance illustrator, and as an instructor at art workshops or artist-in-residence at primary or secondary schools. She has had experience in community mural-painting, including the large interior mural in the Halls Gap National Park Visitor Centre.
Helen Leach works in acrylics and pastels can be found in the Convent Gallery, Daylesford. Watch this site for further information on a solo exhibition at the Convent Gallery in 2009
Paintings and prints by all Grampians Four members are displayed year round by the Colonial Motor Inn, Halls Gap. Works are on view in the motor inn's Morningside Lounge Bar and D'Arcy's Restaurant.
The artists held their inaugural group exhibition at the Colonial Motor Inn in 1992, and their spring exhibition is held there every year.
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