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 CLINTON HELMS
About the Artist:
Clinton Helms started studying art at a very young age and later went on to study at the Lorenzo de Medici Art Institute of Florence, in Florence Italy before receiving his BFA in Illustration from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1999. Shortly after graduation, Clinton started C. Helms STUDIO as a freelance illustrator to take on assignments from various magazines and children's book publishers. In 2001 Clinton retired from the United States Army Reserves at the rank of SFC with over twenty-one years of service to become a full-time artist. His work has appeared in both solo and group exhibitions in Virginia from his hometown of South Hill to Washington DC. Clintons' work has also appeared in invitational art shows at the Society of Illustrators in New York City, the Art Institute of Washington in Arlington, VA., and at the Department of Visual Arts at Chowan College in Murfreesboro North Carolina. He is currently a member of the Richmond Illustrators Group, The Washington, Maryland, and Virginia Illustrators Club, and the Portrait Society of America. His work is currently displayed at the Crossroads' Art Center in Richmond, VA, where his has been teaching work shops in painting in Oils and Acrylics for the past year and a half. He also has been teaching various drawing classes at his Aimer Marta as an Adjunct Instructor in the Art Foundation Department for the past four years. Clinton received his MFA in Fine Art from Marywood University in Scranton, PA., with their "Get your Master's with the Masters Program" in 2007. Clinton currently teaches Drawing and Painting at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA and at Virginia State University in Petersburg, VA and he also teaches a Acrylic & Oil Painting Workshop at Crossroads' Art Center in Richmond, VA. He is currently co-owner of CandEart's Studio, which specializes in Imagery for Children's books, Illustration, Commissioned Portraits, Advertising, Graphic Design, and Photography with his wife and business partner Ella B.H.Helms.
Early and Current Artists influences:
As a young artist, I was heavily influenced by the works of the Renaissance masters' such as Titian, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Peter Paul Rubens, Raphael and other great artists work that I saw in the family Bible growing up. Later on, one of my high school art teachers Mrs. Vivian C. Ross introduced me to the works of Norman Rockwell, Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, and John Singer Sergeant. Although I continue to admire and study all of these artists' works, I have shifted my focus to some of the more up to date and contemporary illustrators and portrait artists of today like Burton Silverman, Daniel Green, and Jacob Collins to name a few. By studying theses artists I have discovered that we all have at one time, or another been heavily influenced by the same artists, and that we all believe that learning to draw well is key to becoming a successful artist.
PROFESSIONAL COMMISSIONS
Spot Illustration assignment for article in the Virginia Education Association Magazine, Richmond, VA., on how educators get in trouble using MySpace Page web sites and others to post information to there students. 2007
Designed and Painted illustration for article in the Virginia Living Magazine, Richmond, VA., Subject, Virginia's first female steeplechase horse train: Marion Dupont-Scott. 2007
Selected to Design the Black History Month Limited Edition Print for Virginia Commonwealth University Office of Multicultural Student Affairs 2007
Painted Family Portrait for private client in South Hill, VA 2006
Illustrated the December image painting in "Dogs Days Calendar" for Hybrid Studios Scranton, PA 2005
Painted Child's Portrait for private client in Arlington, VA. 2003
Painted Family Portrait for private client in Richmond, VA. 2002
Commissioned by the U.S. Army Transportation Corps Museum, at Fort Eustis,VA., to paint a Limited Edition Commemorative Print /Gallery painting to hang in the museum permanently. The theme depicts Theodore Roosevelt at the Port of Tampa. 2001
Illustrated sixteen pencil drawing spreads for the book "Double Time," published by the Brookfield Reader Publishing Company, Sterling, VA. 2000
Illustrated a children's book cover for the, Brookfield Reader Publishing Company. Sterling, VA. Title: "Double Time". The theme was on fictional time travel. 2000
Received editorial illustration assignments, for three articles in the Virginia Education Association Magazine, The themes for these articles was based on students education, teachers techniques and, parents interactions with there child's education. 1999-2000
Painted (4) external wall murals for the, Medical College of Virginia, (MCV) Sports' Medicine Center in Chester, VA. The theme for these paintings was Baseball, Basketball, Football, and Soccer. 1998
SOLO & GROUP SHOWS
The Richeson 75 International Landscape, Seascape & Architectural Art Competition Juried art show, Kimberly, WI. 2009.
The Richeson 75 International Figure/Portrait Art Competition Juried art show, Kimberly, WI. 2009
Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts Regional Art Show Fredericksburg, VA 2009
Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts (Fine Line Theme Art Show) Fredericksburg, VA 2009
South Hill Spring Feast Art Competition South Hill, VA May. 2009
Featured Artist at Goochland Public Library January 2009 Goochland, VA. 2009
Crossroads Art Center Juried art show, Richmond, VA. 2008
Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia first Friday Exhibition. Black Renaissance: Celebrating African-American Arts, Traditions, and Community Richmond, VA 2007
National Arts Program® Exhibition Show, Pine Camp, Richmond, Va. 2007
Group Show with the Richmond Illustrators Club, at the Richmond Public Library, Richmond, Va. 2007
Group Show with the Illustrators Club of Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia held at PEPCO's Edison Place Gallery in downtown Washington. 2006
Group Show with the Illustrators Club of Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia held at PEPCO's Edison Place Gallery in downtown Washington. 2005
Solo Art Show at the Richmond Public Library, Headquarters branch on West. Franklin Street, Richmond, Va. 2004
Solo Art show at, the R.T. Arnold Public Library, in South Hill, Va. 2003
Group Show at Chowan Community College in North Carolina 2002
Participant in the "Prevailing Human Spirits," Group Show at the New York Society of Illustrators in NY City, after the terrorist attacks on 9/11. 2001
AWARDS RECEIVED
Gallery Choice Award & Art Supplies, Richeson 75: Landscape, Seacape & Architectural Competition 2009
Certificate of Merit & Second Place Award from the Crossroads Art Center 2008
Certificate of Merit from the National Arts Program® Juried Exhibition 2007
Certificate of Merit from the Illustrators Club 13th Juried Exhibition 2006
Certificate of Merit from the Illustrators Club 12th Juried Exhibition 2005
Certificate of Merit and Honors from Fort Eustis Army Transportation Museum 2002
First Prize & Certificate of Merit for VCU/Pepsi Art Contest 2000
Certificate of Merit Deans List Fall Semester, VCU Minority Student Affairs 1999
Certificate of Merit Deans List Spring Semester, VCU Minority Student Affairs 1999
Certificate of Merit Deans List Fall Semester, VCU Minority Student Affairs 1998
Bio Published in the National Deans List Book, Twenty First Edition, Vol.1 1997
PROFESSIONAL CLUB MEMBERSHIPS
Los Angeles Society of Illustrators 2009-Present
Fredericksburg Center For the Creative Arts 2008-Present
Crossroads Art Center Artist in Resident Membership 2007-Present
Illustrators Club of Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia 2004-2008
International Portrait Society of America 2000-2008
Richmond Illustrators Club 1999-2007
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