Byangum Hills

Byangum Hills is inspired by the rolling hills of South Murwillumbah, a place where the land holds both personal and regional significance. This is the view from the grounds of the Tweed Regional Gallery — a space that fosters reflection and creativity, nestled within one of the most verdant pockets of the Northern Rivers.

In the background, Wollumbin (Mount Warning) rises with quiet strength, anchoring the composition and evoking a deep sense of place. The undulating green fields are a constant here — lush, rhythmic, and full of life — painted in soft layers of oil to capture their depth and movement. Scattered trees and a single fallen log offer visual pauses, inviting contemplation of time, memory, and presence.

This work reflects Helen Otway’s ongoing exploration of self, place, and memory. Through its grounded perspective and calm palette, Byangum Hills becomes both a tribute to the landscape and an inward meditation on the idea of home.

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Helen Otway is a full-time artist based in the Northern Rivers, NSW, working across oil painting and mixed media. Her practice draws deeply from themes of self, place, and memory, exploring how personal and cultural histories shape our connection to landscape and home.

Helen’s oil paintings—often depicting the rural and coastal terrain of northern New South Wales—capture the subtle energy of place with a focus on light, texture, and seasonal shifts. These works are grounded in observation but imbued with quiet emotional resonance. Alongside this, her more recent explorations in mixed media incorporate textiles, found materials, and domestic artefacts, reflecting an expanded inquiry into identity, migration, and impermanence.

Currently studying at the Byron School of Art, Helen’s evolving practice continues to bridge traditional techniques with contemporary approaches. Whether working with oils on canvas or layered materials in installation, her art offers a contemplative dialogue between inner and outer worlds.