Helen Gotlib was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
A life time interest in art lead Helen to study at the University of Michigan's School Of Art and Design where she divided her time between printmaking and scientific illustration. This lead her to develop a process oriented drawing style characterized by extreme detail.
Gotlib has traveled extensively. Her observations of people and customs of Europe, Asia and the Middle East have influenced her perception of the human body and it's complex range of expression. This interest manifests itself primarily in the vast body of figurative drawing, painting and print making work she has produced over the course of the last decade.
Most recently however, Gotlib has made an extensive exploration of a deceptively nuanced and emotional subject - flowers. By following the life cycle of flora, but focusing particularly on dried, dead flowers, she has managed to create images of unexpected beauty and emotional power mirroring the complexities of her figurative work.
Gotlib's work has been exhibited in numerous juried shows across the country.