Kristen Helberg - Paintings, Murals, and Vinegar Grained Boxes

Kristin Helberg

Happy Presidents Day

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George Washington c Kristin Helberg 2017 oil on canvas

George Washington was truly a renaissance man.  Apart from being our first President, he was very interested in agriculture, trying out new plants and trees in his gardens at Mt. Vernon with attempts to produce better fruits and vegetables.

He was also involved in the interior decoration at Mt. Vernon, choosing the colors for walls, and picking out furniture and china designs.   He even brought over a young indentured servant from England to do all the vinegar graining in the foyer of Mt. Vernon that can still be viewed to this day.    All this and the man was reputed to be a very elegant dancer.  

Takoma Park Holiday Art Sate

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Kristin Helberg, grained and decorative boxes

Kristin Helberg, grained and decorative boxes

Please join me at the Takoma Park Holiday Art Sale on Saturday January 10th at the Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park, MD. 20912

The show which is open from 10 to 4,  is comprised of over 30 juried artists. Come buy local!

Free admission and food trucks for lunch, make this a fun day.   For more information go to their website at www.takomaparkmd.gov

Cactoctin Furnace/Traditional Village Christmas

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Kristin Helberg/vinegar grained boxes

Kristin Helberg/vinegar grained boxes

 

Come join me at the Collier's Log House, 12607 Catoctin Furnace Road in Thurmont, Maryland this Saturday December 3rd for a traditional Christmas celebration.

There are plenty of events for the children, made to order wreaths, local wines and refreshments in this historic village.  I will be there with my vinegar grained boxes and chests along with an assortment of other artisan crafts people.

The hours are 10 to 4.   For more information and directions visit www.catoctinfurnace.org

Ocean City Holiday Show 34th annual

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Nautical boxes by Kristin Helberg

Come to beautiful Ocean City on Thanksgiving weekend for the annual Holiday show located in the Powell Convention Center, 4001 Coastal Highway.  I am in booth 603.

 Children under 13 are free and all others pay a $3 weekend entrance fee.  Lots of free parking, food court and children's activities make this a real family destination.  

 Nov 25 10 to 5, Nov 26 10 to 5 and Nov 27 10 to 4.  

For more information call 1-800-OC-OCEAN.  

Science is Wonderful mural/Alan Bean

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artist in residency mural project with Kristin Helberg

artist in residency mural project with Kristin Helberg

During the month of October, I worked with the entire fourth grade at Resurrection St. Paul to create a mural that honored the Sciences.  The project was funded by the MD. State Arts Council and the school.  Science is very important at the school where they have a STEM lab so students can conduct experiments and work on inventions.

I contacted several living scientists depicted on the mural and asked for a statement that I could read to the children at the unveiling. Alan Bean, the 4th man to walk on the moon in 1969 on the Apollo 12 mission responded.  This is his inspiring statement:

Hello Kristin:

Talk about amazing!  What a great project to inspire young (and older) minds.

Thanks for putting me near Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein.

I was fortunate to be the first artist with the opportunity to be in the center of the action to capture what I saw and felt, and bring it back to earth to share with generations to come.  It is my dream that on the wings of my paintbrush many people will see what I saw and feel what I felt, walking on another world some 240,000 miles from my studio here on planet earth.

Our generation will be remembered for many achievements, and one of the greatest will be our movement off the earth, from its gravitational pull, to begin our future generations’ exploration of the universe. My paintings record the beginnings of a quest never to end, our journey out amongst the stars.

All the best wishes and congratulations,

Alan

Science mural.jpg

Young artists at work

Kristin Helberg art show at NIH, Bethesda

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Patterns, 12 paintings by Kristin Helberg

Patterns, 12 paintings by Kristin Helberg

For the past two years, I have been working on a group of abstracts and semi abstract paintings. I selected twelve of  those paintings, delivering them to the National Institutes of Health on September 10th and watched as they installed the show in the East Gallery off the Atrium Lobby at Building 10. The show is entitled Patterns and will be on display until November 5th.  It is my first show of abstracts.

For information on prices you can contact Lillian Fitzgerald at lfitzgerald@cc.nih.gov.

Delta c Kristin Helberg 2016                             Stones in the River c Kristin Helberg 2016

Delta c Kristin Helberg 2016                             Stones in the River c Kristin Helberg 2016

Vinegar Graining a Native American flute

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Robin Tillery and grained Native American flute

Robin Tillery and grained Native American flute

Every summer I teach a week long class on Early American vinegar graining at Common Ground at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD.  

Robin Tillery of Scot/Cherokee heritage, teaches Native American flute making in the studio next to mine.  This summer, Robin asked me if it would be possible to grain one of his wooden flutes.   I told him any wooden object that could be painted, could be grained.

One evening when we were both finished teaching for the day, Robin brought in one of his wooden flutes.  I showed him the color combinations and patterns that were possible and he chose an emerald green with black graining.   Three hours later he had his magical flute.

 

 

 

Vinegar Graining Class at McDaniel College

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Vinegar Graining Patterns

Vinegar Graining Patterns

I am teachng a class on Early American Vinegar Graining at Common Ground on the Hill at Mcdaniel College in Westminster,MD  from July 3 to July 8.  

The classes are 3 hours a day for a total of 15 hours.  You will learn vinegar paint formulas, technique and leave with a grained jewelry box and a collection of small frames.  I only take 8 students so I can provide a personalized learning experience for you.  When you get back home, you will be armed with the knowledge to transform old furniture into works of art.

Learn more about this wonderful Chautauqua experience for music, art, dance and lectures at www.CommonGroundOnTheHill.org or call 410-857-2771.

 

 

The Folk Art Collection of Elie and Viola Nadelman

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Kristin Helberg boxes and paintings in NY Historical Society Gift Shop

Kristin Helberg boxes and paintings in NY Historical Society Gift Shop

On May 20th, the exhibit entitled The Folk Art Collection of Elie and VIola Nadelman opened at the NY Historical Society Museum on Central Park West in New York.   The show will be up until August 21, 2016.

Read the fascinating review by NY Times art critic Roberta Smith, A Rich Feast of Folk Art at the New York Historical Society which appeared on May 19th. 

I am thrilled to have my artwork and painted boxes be included in the show related gift shop.  

Harriet Tubman

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Go Down Moses c Kristin Helberg 2012

Go Down Moses c Kristin Helberg 2012

When I was working on some paintings in 2012  for a show honoring Harriet Tubman that was featured at the Reginald Lewis Museum of African American art in Baltimore, I did some more reading about this astounding woman.

I had no idea that she actually fought in the civil war and did spy work for the Union army, besides guiding many slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad.

It is only fitting that her image should grace the face of the new $20 bill which is the most circulated note in our currency.   I have never been prouder of our country.

CityFolk Gallery in Lancaster,PA

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Come to downtown Lancaster, Pa on March 4th for the First Friday gallery walk.  I will be at the CityFolk gallery from 4 to 9 pm to celebrate the opening of my show entitled Places In My Heart.  The 21 paintings in the show depict places real and imagined. 

The gallery is located at 146 North Prince Street.  Call (717) 393-8807 for more information. www.cityfolkonprince.com.  Karen Anderer, proprieter.

Abraham Lincoln

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Lincoln.JPG

I believe he was our finest president.  Here is one of his best quotes.

"Nearly all men can deal with adversity......but if you really want to test a man's strength, give him power."   

Maryland Christmas Tree on National Mall 2015

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Every year, we get to enjoy the National Christmas tree on the Mall in Washington, D.C.  There are smaller trees surrounding the big tree, representing the 50 states and territories.  An artist is chosen to design and produce the ornaments for each state.   This year I was chosen as the artist for the state of Maryland.

The ornaments are quite large 18" in diameter.  I chose a soft palette of colors and the theme was images of the flora and fauna of the national parks and state parks in Maryland.  We also included one of our famous lighthouses and a tribute to Edgar Allen Poe. 

I chose 10 students from Resurrection St. Paul school in Ellicott City,MD to work with me.  Each student was given an assignment that they then drew and transferred to the ornament and painted.  They also painted the Maryland State Flag on the back of each ornament.

I am excited about attending the National LIghting ceremony on December 3rd in Washington and Seeing the ornaments hanging on our Maryland Tree.

German Christmas Market

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Painted and Grained box by Kristin Helberg

Painted and Grained box by Kristin Helberg

Please join us at the German school in Potomac, Maryland on December 5th from noon to 5 for the annual Christmas Market.  Enjoy mulled wine as you stroll through the show.

I will have a good supply of painted boxes and  artwork at my booth.  There will also be an  assortment of smaller items to stuff in Xmas stockings.

There are trees and wreaths for sale and also handcrafted goods from Europe. The school is located at 8617 Chateau Drive, Potomac, MD. 20854.  Call (301) 365-4400 for more information.

 

Cone Fish

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Working on Matisse fish.jpg

Working on the 6' fiberglass fish entitled Conefish.  Part of the Fish Out of Water show in Baltimore in  2001 and was kept outside.  I had to refurbish and repaint it for the owner. It was called Conefish after the Cone sisters who had acquired  many Matisse paintings in Paris as part of the Baltimore Museum of Art collection. 

Pie Making Weather

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Making Pies with Grandma c Kristin Helberg 2010

Making Pies with Grandma c Kristin Helberg 2010

Long ago, children did not return to school until after Labor Day.   This meant that the last week of August going into early September, was a nice celebration of the end  of the summer vacation.

We got to visit with our grandparents in upstate New York. Our grandmother made the best apple pies I have ever eaten.   As little girls we were thrilled to be able to help bake pies and learn how the pie crust must always be made with lard and chilled before rolling it out.  We always had cups of tea as we worked with her.  By the end of the morning we had blueberry apple and Columbia berry pies cooling on the counter for the big family dinner in the evening.   

 

Kraig B. Helberg 7/22/1959 to 7/23/2015

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Kraig with patient in Ghana

Kraig with patient in Ghana

Kriag was not a man who cared very much about money.  What he did care about was spending time with his family and friends and of course, his cats.

His work as a prosthetist brought him into contact with people  who were mourning the loss of an arm or leg.  His gentle and strong spirit and his gift for creating prosthetic devices helped many patients re-claim their lives.

Every August, Kraig donated his vacation time to travel with Standing With Hope to Ghana where he trained technicians with the Ghana Health Department.   Not only do we feel his loss here in America, but there are many patients and staff in Ghana who are grieving as well.  We were all blessed to have him in our lives.