Helen Blake grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and graduated with an honours degree in Visual Art from Aberystwyth University, Wales. She lives and works in County Wicklow, Ireland.
Solo exhibitions include: 'A room full of altarpieces, but not a church', The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin, (2023); 'Recent Works', The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin (2021); ‘Choir’, Limerick Museum (2019); 'Recent Works', The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin (2019); 'New Paintings', Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast (2018); 'Recent Works', The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin (2017); Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Co Wicklow (2016); 'New Paintings', Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast (2015); FUTURES 14, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin (2014); ‘Accession’, Iontas Arts Centre, Castleblaney, Co Monaghan (2015); ‘Self-assembly’, Market Place Arts Centre, Armagh (2012).
Helen Blake was runner-up for the Contemporary British Painting Prize 2022 and received the Highly Commended Award. The exhibition of shortlisted artists showed at Huddersfield Art Gallery and Thames-Side Studios Gallery, London.
Also in 2022 Blake's work was selected for 'In and of itself - abstraction in the age of images', curated by Patrick T Murphy, RHA Gallery, Dublin. Her work was also selected for 'Generation2022: New Irish Painting', Butler Gallery, Kilkenny, curated by Anna O'Sullivan. In 2021 her work was selected for 'Periodical Review 11, Return to Disintegration', Pallas Projects, Dublin.
Group exhibitions include 'Small Paintings', Victoria Munroe Fine Art, New York; Art Beijing 2021 (with the Embassy of Ireland); Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, London, UK (2019, 2018, 2016); FUTURES Anthology 2011-2014, RHA, Dublin; Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition, RHA, Dublin (2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2009); Beep Biennial Painting Prize, Swansea, Wales; Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition, Belfast, N. Ireland; 'Art - Letter Home', China Academy of Art CAA Museum, Hangzhou, China | Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Chongqing, China | Suzhou Art Museum, China | Shenyang Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, China; 'Youyi', Hangzhou Public Library, China | Consulate of Ireland, Shanghai, China; VUE National Contemporary Art Fair, RHA, Dublin (with The Molesworth Gallery); Three Works, Scarborough, UK; Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast, N. Ireland; The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin; Lavit Gallery, Cork; Alan Kluckow Fine Art, Berkshire, UK; Candida Stevens Gallery, Chichester, UK; Claremorris Open Exhibition, Claremorris, Co Mayo; ART WORKS, Eigse, Carlow Arts Festival (2016, 2012, 2009, 2008); Oireachtas Art Exhibition, Dun Laoghaire; 90th Anniversary Exhibition, Aberystwyth University, Wales; RUA RED, South Dublin Arts Centre (2018, 2016, 2009); Cairde Visual, Sligo (2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014); Periphery Space, Gorey, Co Wexford; 'Modern Finance', Thames-Side Studios Gallery, London, UK; Oceans Apart Gallery, Salford, Manchester; Oriel Carn Gallery, Caernarfon, Wales; Volcano Theatre, Swansea, Wales, Glasgow Project Room; The Ballinglen Arts Foundation and Museum of Art First Biennial Exhibition, Ballycastle, Co Mayo.
She was an invited artist at Boyle Arts Festival, Boyle, Co Roscommon (2018, 2014), and Dunlavin Festival of Arts (2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015).
Helen Blake received an Arts Council of Ireland Visual Arts Bursary Award in 2023 and an Arts Council of Ireland Agility Award in 2021. In 2016 she received an Artist Support Award from Wicklow Arts Office, Wicklow County Council. In 2015 she received The Model Cara Award, Cairde Visual 2015; selected by artist Mark Garry. In 2013 she was overall winner of the County Wicklow Visual Arts Open Submission, Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray; selected by Patrick T Murphy, Director of the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin. In 2009 she received a Wicklow County Council Individual Artist’s Bursary Award.
Her work was purchased under the Per Cent for Art scheme for Tara Hill School, Gorey, County Wexford, and is included in the collections of Aberystwyth University; Arts Council of Ireland; Avolon; Ballinglen Museum of Contemporary Art; Chapter One Restaurant, Dublin; IPUT; and the OPW Irish State Art Collection.
Helen Blake was one of ten Irish artists invited to travel to China with their exhibition 'Youyi', which showed in Hangzhou and Shanghai in 2019. The exhibition was part of the official celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic and cultural relations between Ireland and China, and was shown by the Embassy of Ireland at Art Beijing 2021.
Helen Blake is represented by The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin, and Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast.
She is a fellow of Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Ballycastle, Co Mayo; and is a member of the artist collective N I N E.
Solo exhibitions include: 'A room full of altarpieces, but not a church', The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin, (2023); 'Recent Works', The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin (2021); ‘Choir’, Limerick Museum (2019); 'Recent Works', The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin (2019); 'New Paintings', Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast (2018); 'Recent Works', The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin (2017); Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Co Wicklow (2016); 'New Paintings', Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast (2015); FUTURES 14, Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin (2014); ‘Accession’, Iontas Arts Centre, Castleblaney, Co Monaghan (2015); ‘Self-assembly’, Market Place Arts Centre, Armagh (2012).
Helen Blake was runner-up for the Contemporary British Painting Prize 2022 and received the Highly Commended Award. The exhibition of shortlisted artists showed at Huddersfield Art Gallery and Thames-Side Studios Gallery, London.
Also in 2022 Blake's work was selected for 'In and of itself - abstraction in the age of images', curated by Patrick T Murphy, RHA Gallery, Dublin. Her work was also selected for 'Generation2022: New Irish Painting', Butler Gallery, Kilkenny, curated by Anna O'Sullivan. In 2021 her work was selected for 'Periodical Review 11, Return to Disintegration', Pallas Projects, Dublin.
Group exhibitions include 'Small Paintings', Victoria Munroe Fine Art, New York; Art Beijing 2021 (with the Embassy of Ireland); Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, London, UK (2019, 2018, 2016); FUTURES Anthology 2011-2014, RHA, Dublin; Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition, RHA, Dublin (2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2009); Beep Biennial Painting Prize, Swansea, Wales; Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition, Belfast, N. Ireland; 'Art - Letter Home', China Academy of Art CAA Museum, Hangzhou, China | Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Chongqing, China | Suzhou Art Museum, China | Shenyang Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, China; 'Youyi', Hangzhou Public Library, China | Consulate of Ireland, Shanghai, China; VUE National Contemporary Art Fair, RHA, Dublin (with The Molesworth Gallery); Three Works, Scarborough, UK; Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast, N. Ireland; The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin; Lavit Gallery, Cork; Alan Kluckow Fine Art, Berkshire, UK; Candida Stevens Gallery, Chichester, UK; Claremorris Open Exhibition, Claremorris, Co Mayo; ART WORKS, Eigse, Carlow Arts Festival (2016, 2012, 2009, 2008); Oireachtas Art Exhibition, Dun Laoghaire; 90th Anniversary Exhibition, Aberystwyth University, Wales; RUA RED, South Dublin Arts Centre (2018, 2016, 2009); Cairde Visual, Sligo (2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014); Periphery Space, Gorey, Co Wexford; 'Modern Finance', Thames-Side Studios Gallery, London, UK; Oceans Apart Gallery, Salford, Manchester; Oriel Carn Gallery, Caernarfon, Wales; Volcano Theatre, Swansea, Wales, Glasgow Project Room; The Ballinglen Arts Foundation and Museum of Art First Biennial Exhibition, Ballycastle, Co Mayo.
She was an invited artist at Boyle Arts Festival, Boyle, Co Roscommon (2018, 2014), and Dunlavin Festival of Arts (2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015).
Helen Blake received an Arts Council of Ireland Visual Arts Bursary Award in 2023 and an Arts Council of Ireland Agility Award in 2021. In 2016 she received an Artist Support Award from Wicklow Arts Office, Wicklow County Council. In 2015 she received The Model Cara Award, Cairde Visual 2015; selected by artist Mark Garry. In 2013 she was overall winner of the County Wicklow Visual Arts Open Submission, Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray; selected by Patrick T Murphy, Director of the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin. In 2009 she received a Wicklow County Council Individual Artist’s Bursary Award.
Her work was purchased under the Per Cent for Art scheme for Tara Hill School, Gorey, County Wexford, and is included in the collections of Aberystwyth University; Arts Council of Ireland; Avolon; Ballinglen Museum of Contemporary Art; Chapter One Restaurant, Dublin; IPUT; and the OPW Irish State Art Collection.
Helen Blake was one of ten Irish artists invited to travel to China with their exhibition 'Youyi', which showed in Hangzhou and Shanghai in 2019. The exhibition was part of the official celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic and cultural relations between Ireland and China, and was shown by the Embassy of Ireland at Art Beijing 2021.
Helen Blake is represented by The Molesworth Gallery, Dublin, and Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast.
She is a fellow of Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Ballycastle, Co Mayo; and is a member of the artist collective N I N E.