Helen Smith was born in Wiradjuri country (Cooma), New South Wales and lives and works on Gadigal land (Sydney).
Her practice is influenced by a formal, minimalist view-point with simplicity of form and geometric abstraction generally contributing to the outcome. Oil on canvas paintings, large scale wall works (quite often completed as projects with her collaborator in life Jeremy Kirwan-Ward) and a number of ongoing photographic series derived from an interest in social and cultural systems form the basis for her enquiry.
In 2023 she was awarded a Master of Fine Art through the Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney where she is now employed as a casual academic.
Smith is represented by Gallery9 in Sydney and has been a member of the Australian Centre for Concrete Art (AC4CA) since 2002.