Helen Harrison is a sculptor who draws inspiration from Key West's indigenous, raw materials and transforms them into sensual, contemporary sculptures and two-dimensional fine art. In the 1970s, Helen and her husband Ben spent four years building a thirty-eight foot sailboat in Costa Rica using self-taught traditional wood techniques. After eleven years of traveling and living aboard the boat, they settled in Key West where Helen transitioned from boatbuilding to sculpture. Using the skills gained through work with hand and power tools, she began to shape natural mediums into the forms she envisioned. In 1986, the Harrisons opened Harrison Gallery at 825 White Street where Helen continues to show her work.

Read more about the Harrisons' boatbuilding and sailing journey in Ben’s book Sailing Down the Mountain: A Costa Rican Adventure