About Helena
Helena J. Renwick, “Painting Muskoka with bold colours and bright ideas.”
Helena was born in Calgary, Alberta, in the '60s to wonderful, artistic Dutch parents. Helena grew up in a home where art and creativity were essential elements of her personhood. Her father was a skilled potter, and her mother a woodcarver. Helena fostered this passion through her childhood and teenage years, exploring ways to express her creative side through set design, puppet making, graphic design and mixed media expressions. Helena moved to Toronto in the '80s, where she completed a diploma in Theatre Arts from Ryerson University, followed by a Bachelor of Fine Art, specializing in art history and studio art at the University of Toronto. During this time, Helena was exploring how to push herself creatively, learning more and more about who she is as an artist.
Today, Helena lives in Huntsville, Ontario, with her husband, Cameron. They decided to move to Muskoka and have called this place home for the past 25 years. Helena and Cameron were drawn to the beautiful landscapes, especially thrilled to be close to local, provincial parks. What they stayed for was the sense of community and connection they both found. Helena was avidly involved in the community in various ways, as the first Front of House Manager at the Algonquin Theatre upon opening and the Executive Director of the Business Improvement Association for 12 years. Helena honed her political passion and vision for the community in 2018 when she ran for district council.
In 2020, when many were looking to the arts for inspiration and solace from the unprecedented times, Helena began to reignite her passion for fine arts. She began posting to her social media to share with friends nearby and family in Holland. With immense support online and in her community, Helena took her art full time in 2021 and has never looked back.