2025 Artist Joe Helmore
Joe Helmore
Semi-abstract landscape painter
Born in Hawke’s Bay in 1982, Joe Helmore is an artist currently based in Queensland, Australia. A graduate of Massey University, Wellington, with a Bachelor of Visual Art and Design (2005), he has exhibited extensively across New Zealand and Australia.
Helmore is a well-established Australasian artist, painting full-time since 2015. He has been represented by Parnell Gallery in Auckland since 2017, and his works are held in private collections across Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the USA, Denmark, and New Zealand.
Currently focused on his Cape Kidnappers series, Helmore aims to create a collection that will become widely recognized and serve as a small part of Hawke’s Bay’s culture and history in the future. For those who call the region home, the setting sun over these cliffs symbolizes identity and belonging. The series captures the unique light and landscape of the area in a contemporary and emotive style.
Instagram – @Joehelmore
2025 Artist Unveiling
This large piece captures the dwindling light of a sun setting after a hot day, casting its golden glow across the landscape. This light illuminates the Stratified cliffs, which are made up of sandstone, river gravel and pumice. These sediments were deposited over a period between 300,000 and 1 million years ago. It marks the latest addition to Helmore’s ongoing series of Cape Kidnappers works. In his signature style, Helmore builds and intensifies both volume and structure through the dynamic interplay of light and shadow, while bold graphic disruptions create a striking balance between abstraction and figuration. Revered as a symbol of home and connection, this iconic landscape holds profound significance for many in the region. The scene also stands as a vivid testament to Hawke’s Bay’s esteemed reputation as a world-class wine-producing region, encapsulating its temperate climate, abundant sunshine and distinctive mineral-rich soils. A solitary car parked on the beach imparts a sense of scale while simultaneously reflecting the casual yet pragmatic spirit of the area’s inhabitants.
