Nautilus and Abalone, Sea Shells Still Life, Original Oil Painting on PanelItem Status:
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Helen OhNautilus and Abalone, Sea Shells Still Life, Original Oil Painting on Panel2019
2019
$1,800Asking Price

About
The two shells - a nautilus and an abalone - are beautiful in their simplicity in this still life by Helen Oh. The rich hues of the shell's mother of pearl surfaces are reflected onto the deep dense color of the table on which they are placed. The two shells lie in close proximity to one another, the nautilus seeming to cradle the abalone while pale shades of pink and silver evoke a dream like quality. The painting is framed in a simple walnut frame.
Helen Oh
Nautilus and Abalone
oil on panel
9h x 12w in
22.86h x 30.48w cm
HOH008
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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