Barn wood table by Todd Spahr
I was at the Market Square show two weeks ago in Valley Forge and had the privilege of meeting Todd Spahr, a woodworker who specializes in building tables, sideboards, coffee tables and benches using 200 year old barn wood. I had been looking for months. Just got delivery of my new 6 foot dining table.
For more photos of his work go to https://www.facebook.com/RusticBarnWoodTreasures
Edgar Allan Poe c Kristin Helberg 2017
January 19, 1809 was the birthday of Edgar Allan Poe. In his forty short years of life, he created a wealth of short stories, poems and created the genre of the forensic detective novel.
Found delirious on the streets here in Baltimore, he was taken into Johns Hopkins Hospital where he died on October 7, 1849. The causes of his death are still debated today.
When I created this portrait of him last year, I wanted to show the depths of his passion and his deep understanding of the intense human opera we all share.
Join us at 4 pm at the Poe Monument in Baltimore at 4 pm on Saturday January 20th. If you would like to find out more information about the event and donate to it, here is the link.
https://www.gofundme.com/birthdaypoe.
Blue Bird Box with graining c Kristin Helberg 2017
I will be part of the Holiday Art sale at the Takoma Park Community Center located at 7500 Maple Avenue in Takoma Park, MD on December 9th, from 10 am to 4 pm.
Featuring work by over 30 local artists and artisans, there will also be food and music.
For more information www.takomaparkmd.gov/arts
See you there.
Clock Box c Kristin Helberg vinegar graining and painted scene
I will be participating in the 33rd annual American Artisan Show at the Wilton Historical Society in Wilton, Connecticut on November 3rd, 4th and 5th.
My booth will feature my vinegar grained boxes and small chests, Early American Tavern signs, paintings and giclee prints. I hope you will join us there.
For more information about show times and tickets, call the Society at (203) 762-7257 or visit their website at www.wiltonhistorical.org
8 students learn vinegar graining
Early American Vinegar graining is a class that I teach at the Chautauqua type event known as Common Ground on the beautiful campus of Mcdaniel College in Westminster, MD.
Every afternoon during the first week of classes at Mcdaniel College, I worked with eight students, demonstrating the formulas for mixing vinegar paint and the techniques for creating the textures. By Friday July 1, each student had completed 15 hours of work on a group of frames and small jewelry boxes. I had a wonderful group of students this year.
Our final show displayed the gorgeous textures and colors that each student created on their work. This is a week long class that I have taught at Common Ground program for the past six summers.
Examples of vinegar graining
Grained boxes and frames
Come and join me on the beautiful campus of McDaniel College in Westminster, MD and learn the Early American artform of vinegar graining. The class is every afternoon June 26th through the 30th for a total of 15 hours. You will learn the history of vinegar graining, the formulas for mixing vinegar paint and use of objects to texture your project.
At the end of the week you will leave with a small decorated jewelry chest and a group of small frames. You will be armed with the knowledge that will let you tackle bigger furniture projects when you get back home.
My class is taught at Common Ground on the Hill at McDaniel College. I only take 8 students so I can do a good job teaching you these techniques. Call (410) 857-2771 or email office at commonground@commongroundonthe hill.org
Butterfly Garden Mural on display in lobby
For twenty days, I worked with the entire fifth grade at Veterans Elementary School in Ellicott City, MD to create a four panel mural depicting a Butterfly Garden.
The four panels, each measuring 4' x 7' were put on display in the school lobby on June 2nd to be part of the PTA celebration of the 10 year anniversary of the new school building. The mural was funded by grants from the Howard County Arts Council and the Veterans Elementary School PTA.
Each of the 140 5th grade students drew and painted at least one image on the mural. The panels will be installed this summer.
Students working on mural
Wren Chest Kristin Helberg 2017
This will be the 44th year of the MD Sheep and Wool Festival. It is the largest fiber festival in the United States. May 6 and 7th at the Howard County Fairgrounds.
Sheep dog trials, sheep shearing, juried artisans and gourmet food. $5.00 for 18 and over with children free.
Come and find me in the Main Exhibition Hall booth B32 and see my decorative boxes and small paintings.
For more info on the event. www.sheepandwool.org
Brier Farm Mural in Cape Cod
In October of 2010, I was commissioned by my friends Carol and Tommy Garvey to create a mural in their 300 year old summer house located in Brewster, Massachusetts on Cape Cod.
Working with Carol's historical knowledge, I created the tiny original Cape house built in 1710 and the barn, and showed the new orchards and fields. Whaling boats are shown on the water. I painted the mural in the style of Early American itinerant artist Rufus Porter.
The house and farm were sold to Captain Anthony Brier in 1867 and many additions were made to the house to turn it into a summer boarding house.
Carols grandparents, William and Ada Wilson bought the house in 1947 and in 1986, Tommy and Carol purchased the house to keep it in the family.
The articles and photos appear in the June issue of Early American LIfe Magazine.
Chesapeake Bay mural created by 5th grade
I received a grant funded by the MD State Arts Council and St. Mark School in Catonsville to work with the 5th grade and create a 4' x 8' mural that depicted the Chesapeake Bay.
The students studied photos of crab boats and fishing boats particular to the Chesapeake Bay as well as fishing shacks, bird sanctuaries and crab fisherman. Boating, fishing and bird sanctuaries are also included on the mural.
The mural panel was completed on March 24th and will be on display at various art events at both the school and church social hall before it is permanently installed in the school.
Boating on the Chesapeake
Chesapeake Bay mural at St. Mark School
For the past week and a half, I have been working with the entire 5th grade at St. Mark School in Catonsville to create life on the Chesapeake.
The children are drawing and painting crab boats, fishermen, fish shacks and wildlife along with images of their school taking part in activities with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation teaching boat.
The project was jointly funded by the school and the MD State Arts Council as part of their artist in residency program.
Our project has been delayed with the snow and ice storm, but we will be finished with the 4' x 8' mural panel by the 24th of March.
Creating a crab boat on the bay
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.
Jay's Winter Nap
Maybe we can all settle down for a long winters nap in these next few days. I wish you all beautiful dreams.
Happy Holidays to all of us.
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
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
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.
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
Young artists at work
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
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 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.
