About the artist:

Born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Helene Alison began studying oil painting at age of nine with her mother, a portrait artist. Throughout her teen years she studied voice and pursued acting at Penn State, with a major in Theatre Arts. Summer stock, acting in local playhouses, singing in various choruses, churches, with a trio and dance band all were secondary to Helene's passion to ride a fine horse to hounds or to train a young horse to "dance" in harmony with it's rider called the art of Dressage. To balance her active life style with horses, Helene again studied with her mother and began painting portraits of animals for friends and employers as a hobby. Her mother insisted that she take classes. Unable to attend art school full time, Helene chose selective classwork at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, SUNY at Albany and the Philadelphia College of Art. She studied etching with the Nevin Gallery at Shelley in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. For Christmas in 1981 and 1982, her mother gave her classes at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts night school until her child was born. For five years, Helene Alison showed her work at the Dressage at Devon Horse Show. Every year, she participated in local juried art shows including the Jenkintown and Yellow Springs' Art Festivals. In the late 70's, Core States Bank asked Helene to show her work for two bank openings. In Philadelphia, the Franklin Institute invited Helene to represent them on Earth Day, 1978. Oils and etchings were displayed at the Devon Horse Show, The Radnor Three Day Event, the Washington International Horse Show and Ludwig's Corner Horse Show. Typically, you could find her at a polo match or small horse show with her paintings propped up around her car, sharing her love of horses. "The seven equine head studies were my first major work from 1976-1979 commissioned by my neighbor Joe Messina. Although the style is photorealistic, the paintings are not mere copies of photographs After the composition of the head study was selected, it was rendered with anatomical drawing the size of the portrait of the bone structure to ensure a three dimensional outcome. Another of the muscles was transferred onto each canvas for accurate representation. (I am following the same regimen with my 2008 commissions) The backgrounds depict Maui Meadows Farm, Pocopsin, PA where the mares and their foals received exquisite care".