HELEN VAN STOLK (b. 1971, South Africa)

Helen van Stolk’s creative journey began as a powerful act of rebalancing. After a successful career in the fast-paced world of retail property, she stepped away from the corporate grind in 2008 and leaned fully into the liberating world of artmaking. What followed was a transformation—personally and professionally—as she began to explore the magic that happens when one creates without boundaries.

Her large-scale abstract works evoke a sense of immersion—inviting viewers into a world of movement, sensuality, and presence. Deeply inspired by nature’s untamed beauty and the emotional undercurrents of life, Helen’s paintings radiate their own energy, often described as uplifting, harmonious, and soul-nourishing.

Working from her studio in Woodstock, Cape Town, Helen is known for her expressive use of colour, fluid textures, and the meditative process through which her work emerges. Her creative path has been shaped by time spent at several Cape Town-based studios, including StudioVOOP, Frere Street Studios, and Eastside Studios, as well as formative studio partnerships with artists Lesley Charnock and Margie Johnson.

She has trained and workshopped with a number of notable artists including Mary Visser, Jenny Parsons, Martin Campos, Melinda Cootsona, and Emily Ball. Over the years, Helen has held six successful solo exhibitions, completed a five-week artist residency at Lion Sands Game Reserve, is heading to the Cite, Paris for a 2 month residency. She has exhibited locally and internationally, including at the London Art Fair.

Her work has been featured in multiple magazines, earned her a Veluka finalist spot at ArtB, and she has received a Fellowship from the South African Society of Artists along with various awards. Helen’s paintings are held in private and corporate collections around the world.

www.helenvanstolk.com