Travels and Art Abroad (1924-1935)

Europe and Soviet Union (1924-1929)

Helen's first major overseas voyage with her sister Adelaide, to Europe in 1928 marked a time of great independence. During her time in the soviet union, there is a clear presence of Russian Orthodox Christianity in her work, featuring striking watercolors of an Orthodox priest and soldiers marching in front of a church. Her interest in faces and the stories they tell is evident in her early work; her sketches range from working-class women and mothers to seemingly wealthy and high-ranking political men. Her illustrations from Russia ultimately culminated in an article about her travels in Better Homes and Gardens, written by her sister.

Japan, Mongolia, and Korea

After her marriage to Ernie O'Malley, the couple traveled to East Asia in 1935, and explored various countries and cultures while there. Most of her art in this period were photographs and pencil sketches. Her interest and embracement of these new environments is apparent, but the work feels like it was completed in a fast-paced setting. A signigicant portion of the work she produced in the Soviet Union were paintings that would take longer to complete, while her artwork of Asia were done through mediums that allow quicker observation and quickly capture a moment.