Helen Lessick is a visual and public artist and creative catalyst originally from Philadelphia. She travelled west to earn her BA in Art from Reed College and MFA in Studio Art from the University of California Irvine. She was awarded Pollock Krasner and Bonnie Bronson Fellowships, several Art Matters grants and funding from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She has been an artist in residence at Taliesin West/Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture; at Sculpture Space, Utica, NY; Annenberg Community Beach House, Santa Monica; and Atelier Bordas and Art3, both in France. Helen’s recent works address the interface of ecological and cultural health. Her research-based installations exploring the impact of high intensity fires on the western US, Canada and Australia have been recognized in exhibitions and residencies. Helen’s exploration of the interface of art and research, she spoke at the 2024 ArtX: Art and Ideas festival in Flagstaff, AZ. Helen is an artist catalyst. Committed to the work of art in community, Helen develops artist-forward public art projects, plans and programs with under-resourced communities across the United States and internationally. She worked at Portland Center for the Visual Arts, Socrates Sculpture Park, and Daybreak Star Cultural Center. Helen has lived in Oregon, Washington and California, each for more than a decade. She serves as the public art catalyst for the City of Inglewood, CA, spearheading artist-initiated public projects, arts education efforts and leveraging culture to enhance community. Helen lives and works in Los Angeles. www.helenlessick.net @Lessickart