MFA, The Pennsylvania State University, School of Visual Arts, 2000
BSFS, Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service, 1974
Helena has been with Pantheon Institute since 2009
Awards, recognition and honors
Fulbright Grant, Prague, Czech Republic (1998-99)
Interdisciplinary Dissertation and Creative Project Award, The Pennsylvania State University, 1998
Publications and presentations
A time full of waiting – the refugee camp of Rissiera San Sabba in the phototgraphs of Jan Lukas. Co-editor of the exhibition catalogue, Trieste, Italy, 2012.
Memento, exhibition catalogue, Galeria Fiducia, Ostrava, Czech Republic, 2011.
Das Prager Ghetto, co-author, Verlag Werner Dausien, Hanau, Germany, 1994.
Courses Taught at the Pantheon Institute
PHOTO 399A Introduction to Digital Photography
Previous Teaching Positions
Instructor of Photography, The Pennsylvania State University, 2002, 2006-2008
Related Experience
Chair of Refugee Resettlement Committee, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Fargo, ND, 1981-1989
Teaching Philosophy
When teaching photography, I don’t have any absolutes to rely on. It is not like teaching the exact sciences where I could demand the students take my word for – let’s say – the law of gravity. All I have is my life long experience of making pictures in a somewhat mechanical way through all kinds of photographic cameras, and of looking at other photographers’ work – all the time trying to figure out what is it that makes some images so memorable visually that they touch us deeply on other levels as well. One can teach the “nuts and bolts” of photography easily enough but after that I see my role as the teacher who nudges each student in the direction they might not know is worthwhile to pursue. All students comes to the class with a different set of eyes – literally and figuratively – and my wish is to lead them to “see” better than before.
Photographic Exhibitions
2011 Prague Lost and Found, The Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences, Bohemian Hall/Czech Center, 321East, 73rd Street, York York City
2011 Memento, Galerie Fiducia, Ostrava, Czech Republic
2010 Memento, Atelier Josefa Sudka, PPF Art, Ujezd 30, Prague, Czech Republic
2008 Fulbright Photo Project, Unijazz Festival for the Jewish neighborhood – Boskovice Museum, Czech Republic
2004 Kroky Svetem, Galerie u Mloka, Oloumoc, Czech Republic
2003 Bezeslov/Wordless, Fotogalerie DIOS, Na vysluni 252, Zlin, Czech Republic
2000 (BE)HOLD, MFA Thesis Exhibition, Zoller Gallery, Penn State, University Park, PA
2000 Dance in Prague, Robeson Gallery, Penn State, University Park, PA
1999 Seeking Encounters, Studio Citadela, Prague, Czech Republic
1995 Children, Peppers and Other Treasures, Kearn Gallery, Penn State, University Park, PA
1994 Fragments of Prague, Pattee Library Gallery, Penn State, University Park,