Helen Peters

Biography

Helen Peters studied in Geelong before attending the National Galleries School under Bernard Hall, as well as the Melbourne Art School with Tudor St George Tucker and Emanuel Phillips Fox. The recent NGV Impressionist exhibition Sunlight and Shadow included a portrait of Helen Peters by Phillips Fox, as well as a landscape by Helen Peters herself.
Peters exhibited widely with the Victoria Artists Society and the Yarra Sculptors' Society; the Royal Society and was a member of the Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors. She was awarded as a student and won a first and second order of merit at the Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition in 1888-89. Her artwork was included in exhibitions including the Women's Work Exhibition 1907 and the Royal Academy, London in 1911.
Peters taught art students from her home in Geelong and was honoured with a retrospective at Gorden Technical College in 1903 with around 60 paintings, mostly sentimental figures and portraits.
The Advertiser reported that Frederick McCubbin had sent a letter to mark the opening, which stated that 'Geelong should be proud of Miss Peters’ work when it was considered that she was one of the foremost lady artists in Australia. He concluded by congratulating her upon her industry and position in the art world.’