Family, friends, and the lives of women inform the paintings of Helena Wurzel, through which she seeks to convey her “core values of social connection, time spent outdoors, and finding beauty in the everyday.” Her bright, bold colors and pop graphic aesthetic are emphasized by the use of pattern in clothing, tablecloths, furniture, and rugs, and modern day accessories and fashion play up the modern sensibilities. Narratives of daily life, social relationships, and singular activities play out in her imagery, revealed through quiet strolls and bike rides, pairs and small groups of women at the beach or the park, and families spontaneously gathered in moments of play and ease.
Wurzel holds a MFA in painting from Boston University, a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, and a BA from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Her work has appeared in solo and group shows around the United States, in promotional imagery for the Kate Spade Saturday line, and in an episode of The Mindy Project. She has taught drawing and painting at several New England schools, including the Rhode Island School of Design, University of New Hampshire, Montserrat College of Art, and Buckingham Browne and Nichols School, and was an artist representative for Gamblin Artist Colors and Strathmore Paper. Wurzel is the recipient of two Massachusetts Cultural Council Grants in painting and received a partial fellowship for a residency at The Vermont Studio Center. In 2023, she was commissioned to paint a portrait of the president of Bowdoin College and had a solo show at Praise Shadows Gallery in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Wurzel resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Instagram: helenawurzel
