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Helen OhCircle of Shells - Original Oil Painting on Silver Leaf, Sea Shell Arrangement2009
2009
$4,800

About
This delicately rendered painting presents the viewer with a collection of objects to contemplate. A circle of 12 sea shells are arranged atop a reflective surface. Placed in a circle, the shells have gathered, as if for a ceremony, or a dance. The shell's individual shapes and soft tones contrast and compliment each other. The artist has meticulously prepared the surface of the panel with squares of silver leaf over which she paints. The dusky reflective properties of the silver leaf background further emphasize the painted reflection in the painting and create rich depth of surface. This artwork is framed. The framed dimensions are H 24 x W 30 inches.
Helen Oh
Circle of Shells
oil and silver leaf on panel
24h x 30w in
Helen Oh, b. 1962, Seoul, Korea
For several years I have been painting seashells, both contemporary and fossilized specimens, some of which are millions of years old. That their designs are virtually unchanged from ancient times to the present points to the perfection of their forms and their incredible adaptability.
These sea creatures live a mysterious existence, and after death, provide a vital service to humankind by transforming millions of their discarded shells to calcium carbonate, a key ingredient of concrete. Through these imageries, I hope to connect my audience to nature and issues of marine ecology.
To enhance the design of these intricate forms, I painted from direct observation of them, set up before my easel.
Helen Oh is a visual artist. Originally from Seoul, South Korea, she studied painting at the School of Visual Arts, the National Academy of Design, and the Art Students League. She holds a BFA in Art and Design from Columbia College Chicago and an MFA in Communication Design from Harrington College of Design.
Helen has taught studio art courses at New York Academy of Art and the Linos School of Art in Umbria, Italy. Currently, she is an adjunct instructor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts. Courses she has taught include Painting Materials and Methods (oil and water media), History of Painting Techniques, Human Anatomy, Perspective, Drawing, 2D and 3D Design, and Color Theory and Application.
The artist has received two Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grants. Her work has been exhibited at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, the Terra Museum of American Art, the National Academy Museum, and the Butler Institute of American Art. Helen's work is in the collections of Columbia University and the Americas Society in Manhattan.
Her artworks have been featured in New American Paintings # 29, Art Scene Chicago 2000, House Beautiful, American Artist magazine, and International Artist magazine.
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