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Helen Shideler

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Helen Shideler
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  • Home
    • Commissions
    • My Artistic Journey CV
    • FAQ’s
    • Links
    • Photo Album
    • Bio
  • Artwork
    • Available Artwork
    • My Plein Air Journey
    • My Print Shop
    • Animal Kingdom
    • East Coast Stills
    • Feathered Friends
    • Florals
    • Mussels and More
    • People
    • Poured Watercolour
    • Scapes
    • The Pond
  • Blog
  • Contact me
  • Events
    • Fund Raisers
    • Exhibitions

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  • Blog
  • Contact me
  • Home
    • My Artistic Journey CV
    • Commissions
    • FAQ’s
    • Links
    • Photo Album
    • Bio
  • Portfolio
    • Animal Kingdom
    • Feathered Friends
    • Florals
    • Mussels and More
    • People
    • Poured Watercolour
    • Scapes
    • The Pond
    • Available Artwork
    • My Plein Air Journey
    • East Coast Stills
    • My Print Shop

Recent Posts

  • When Your Art Page Gets Hacked
    In Artful Reflections, Lessons Learned, My Painting Process, Scapes - Coastal and Land
  • Experience the Beauty of Coastal Art This Summer
    In Events, Scapes - Coastal and Land
  • Sea Shells at the Sea Shore
    In Artwork, Scapes - Coastal and Land, Still Life - Florals & Much More
  • Artful Reflections,  Lessons Learned,  My Painting Process,  Scapes - Coastal and Land

    When Your Art Page Gets Hacked

    4 November 2025 / 2 Comments

    I got hacked. Lost my art page and a little bit of trust along with it There’s nothing quite like that gut-punch moment when you realize your Instagram art page – the one you’ve spent years building – has been hacked. Commandeered.  Taken over.  All your efforts in those posts, connections, and quiet moments of sharing your work with people who genuinely care about it… are suddenly out of your control and replaced with spam posts! It’s frustrating, infuriating, and honestly, a little heartbreaking. You pour so much of yourself into your online spaces. It’s not just “social media” – it’s our gallery, our portfolio and often our community. The…

    Read More
    Helen Shideler

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    Spring is finally here

    24 March 2022

    The problem with Prussian blue – A comedy

    21 July 2018

    I’m happy to be OuTSiDeY

    26 November 2023
  • Events,  Scapes - Coastal and Land

    Experience the Beauty of Coastal Art This Summer

    12 July 2025 / 4 Comments

    This summer, the tides of creativity are rising at the *Grand Manan Art Gallery* with “It’s a Shore Thing” Running from July 13 to August 1, this coastal celebration brings together two distinct, yet complementary interpretations of the shore’s timeless charm. If you find yourself on Grand Manan this July, we hope you’ll stop by the gallery and spend a little time with the shore as seen through our eyes. We’d love to share a little piece of the coast with you. It’s a shore thing! A Story is told There are many secrets be found along the shore between the sea and the edge of the sand that hosts…

    Read More
    Helen Shideler

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    Another 30 day challenge complete

    31 January 2017

    KCST June 11th and 12th

    4 June 2016

    Planning My Packing

    2 September 2013
  • Artwork,  Scapes - Coastal and Land,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    Sea Shells at the Sea Shore

    8 June 2025 / 1 Comment

    Collected Treasures, Collected Memories One of my favourite destinations is a visit to the beach. It has always been one of my sanctuaries. Where I like to go to think.  The sound of the waves, the salty smells and the scenery are very much healing.  I make sure that I take time to absorb all of it. I love to experience the beach fully – it’s such a refresh for my soul and senses. Interesting enough this absorption happens naturally when painting en Plein Air as you are totally absorbed in the moment. I really don’t head to a beach planning to collect anything other than photos but somehow some…

    Read More
    Helen Shideler

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    Muscles, Mussels and More

    5 April 2025

    Icky ick ick ick

    4 January 2015

    Spring is finally here

    24 March 2022
  • Artful Reflections

    Horizon Health and the most excellent after care

    27 April 2025 / 9 Comments

    Thank You to my Amazing Hospital Care Team with a big shoutout to the Physiotherapy Team! I really want to thank the incredible team at Horizon Health and St. Joseph’s Hospital. This whole experience was so much better than I could have imagined.  Recovering from a total knee replacement isn’t exactly a walk in the park… however, everyone I encountered — from Dr. Kerr and the surgical team, nurses and PT treated me with such professionalism, skill, and genuine kindness.  The experience I had a few things that caused me concern.  First was getting discharged from the hospital and thinking I was going to be kicked to the curb without…

    Read More
    Helen Shideler

    You May Also Like

    New York Minute (sigh)

    18 May 2014

    When Your Art Page Gets Hacked

    4 November 2025

    I’m happy to be OuTSiDeY

    26 November 2023
  • Artful Reflections,  Artwork,  Scapes - Coastal and Land,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    Muscles, Mussels and More

    5 April 2025 / 6 Comments

    Well it’s been an eventful bit of time between rendering mussels, nurturing muscles and more.  Gathered by the Tide The shore has always captivated me.  From my early years in Cape Breton to the many beaches in New Brunswick – the shore has always been an important part of my life. There is something mesmerizing about the quiet beauty of a beach scattered with shells that were Gathered by the Tide. Treasures waiting to be discovered. The way the light catches the shells revealing their iridescent blues and purples. This painter’s delight! The salt-worn edges that contrast with their smooth interiors. It’s a subject that I will always keep returning to.…

    Read More
    Helen Shideler

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    New York Minute (sigh)

    18 May 2014

    Playing with ChatGPT

    26 April 2024

    Where oh where has my Get Up and Go gone?

    27 August 2024
123

ARTIST & BLOGGER

Hi, I’m Helen. Welcome to my online home. Here, you’ll find a collection of my art creations inspired by light, colour and texture.

Explore, enjoy and feel free to connect!

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Categories

  • A Tale Unfolds (5)
  • Artful Reflections (14)
  • Artwork (77)
    • Fauna – Feathers and Fur (18)
    • People (4)
    • Scapes – Coastal and Land (13)
    • Still Life – Florals & Much More (36)
  • Events (25)
  • From My Studio (11)
    • Product Review (7)
  • Kudos (9)
  • My Painting Process (50)
    • Helpful Hints (7)
    • Lessons Learned (23)
    • Poured Watercolour (13)
  • My Plein Air Adventures (19)
  • Travelling Colours (19)

Tags

coastal art Mussel shell painting sea shore painting

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Copyright

As the artist I retain the the reproductive rights to my artwork in any form. Thank you for following along and appreciating my work.

To the pit! Sometimes the only solution is to let To the pit!

Sometimes the only solution is to let them burn. This is a group of Plein Air paintings that I wasn’t happy with. Often I’ll hang onto them for a bit to see if there was something to learn from what or where I messed up. Then it’s time to let them go - I mean I’d never want anyone to see them right?

Burning them is so therapeutic!

#eastcoastartist #pleinaircanada #getoutsideandpaint #livelifeincolour #burnbabyburn #byebye #tothepit #canadianartist #helenshideler
Tidal Keepsake A walk on the beach is how I love Tidal Keepsake

A walk on the beach is how I love to recharge. I love all the smells and sounds of the wave action. Whether the waves are gentle or crashing…they are healing. When I’m walking on the beach I keep my eyes open for treasures. Whether it’s birds to photograph, a piece of sea glass to pocket. All treasures!

But when I happen upon a collection of gathered shells - they stop me in my tracks. And I photograph them knowing that one day they may be the focus of my next shell painting. 

12 x 12” acrylic on gallery depth gessobord

#eastcoastartist #artinprogress #livelifeincolour #studiowork #musselshells #coastalart #seasidepainting #artofthesea #oceaninspired #beachfinds #musselshellart #creativeprocess #contemporaryartwork #helenshideler
Update - I'm sold. Thank you @handworksgallerysj Update - I'm sold. Thank you @handworksgallerysj 

No Place to Hide

Especially when you are this stunning. Definitely not easy to hide…especially in the evergreens.

This was an interesting painting to create. I liked it quite fine before I decided to add the background - it was always the plan. I was just a bit tentative as I liked the cardinal on its own. I knew where I was going with this (or where I hoped it would go) - just wondered if I could get it there. I mean that first step. Eek was a nail biter!

12x12” acrylic on deep cradled birch panel

#eastcoastartist #beautifulnewbrunswick #artinprogress #studiowork #livelifeincolour #canadianartdaily #birdsinart #northerncardinal #northerncardinalsofinstagram #canadianartist #featheredfriends #backyardbirds #helenshideler
Sidewalk Stepping and Strutting in Style And a pa Sidewalk Stepping and Strutting in Style

And a pair of crows 🐦‍⬛ paintings joining the little painted flock. Getting gallery ready soon.

#eastcoastartist #livelifeincolour #studiowork #featheredfriends #birdsinart #crowsinart #blackbirdpainting #botanicalbirds #crowsofinstagram #backyardbirds #helenshideler
Sapphire Blues So many delightful birds to paint Sapphire Blues

So many delightful birds to paint - I think this blue jay may be one of my favourites. The colours…pure joy!

For a while I stepped away from smaller works as they take almost the same amount of time as larger pieces.  But they are so versatile. They can hang in a small space. Sit on a bookshelf. Or tuck into a corner to catch your eye and make you smile. More to follow soon!

8”x 8” acrylic on cradled birch panel

#eastcoastartist #beautifulnewbrunswick #artinprogress #studiowork #livelifeincolour #botanicalbirds #bluejayart #bluejaypainting #birdsinart #bluejaysofinstagram #helenshideler #backyardbirds #mightyminis #instabirds #canadianartist
Crimson Cardinal We have grape vines that grow ac Crimson Cardinal

We have grape vines that grow across a pergola by our kitchen window. The birds love to perch there to ensure they feel safe enough to come into the feeders. They provide us with endless enjoyment and entertainment!

This is an acrylic painting - which let me play with watery paint to get the effect of the background grape vines. Fun painting 

This painting will be donation for a fund raiser for the IWK Hospital - a cause near and dear to my heart!

#eastcoastartist #artinprogress #studiowork #livelifeincolour #birdsinart #northerncardinal #newbrunswickartist #canadianartist #cardinalsofinstagram #helenshideler
An October Moment with progress stages The robins An October Moment with progress stages

The robins were happily bouncing around on our burning bush. They would hop into the elderberry bush beside it then hop back to the burning bush. It was fun to watch them. Of course, I found a discreet place to hunker down with my camera to try to get a few shots. My patience was rewarded with a series of clear shots. What I liked about the shot that I painted the robin from was - you can see it “eyed” me (at least I hope you can).

I thought I completed the painting yesterday. But in the night when I should have been sleeping - I thought of a couple of adjustments I wanted to make. One was a nail biter! I went in with a glaze to soften a few brushstrokes on the background that I didn’t like. Phew…it’s much better now.  That is almost always a risky and difficult decision for me to make.

#eastcoastartist #artinprogress #studiowork #livelifeincolour #feathered friends #birdsinart #robinart #americanrobinsofinstagram #newbrunswickstudio #helenshideler
The first day of autumn or so An incredible day t The first day of autumn or so

An incredible day to be outside painting. Beautiful breezes. Sunshine. Mosquitoes (drat)! The rapidly changing screen never fails to humble me. When I set up to paint and prepared my colour mixes - the tide was full and the water dark. The sky was amazing with rapidly moving heavy clouds. Once I completed the sky the tide was dropping fast. I started painting the water - and there it was gone!

Also in my effort to paint really fast i dropped the horizon in the middle of the panel 🤦 

Seven mosquitoe bite’s later 

#eastcoastartist #cobrawatermixableoilcolour #beautifulnewbrunswick #artinprogress #canadianartdaily #getoutsideandpaint #pleinaircanada #livelifeincolour #helenshideler #betterwithfriends #pleinairpainter #bayoffundy
Surprise commission How I loved painting this spe Surprise commission

How I loved painting this special girl. I think I was smiling all the way through the painting process. I mean…that face! 
Happy to have the opportunity to capture this much loved furry face!

#petportrait #petportraitartist #furryface #goldenretrieverpainting #goldenretrieverlove #studiowork #comissionedartwork #helenshideler
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Recent Posts

  • When Your Art Page Gets Hacked
    In Artful Reflections, Lessons Learned, My Painting Process, Scapes - Coastal and Land
  • Experience the Beauty of Coastal Art This Summer
    In Events, Scapes - Coastal and Land
  • Sea Shells at the Sea Shore
    In Artwork, Scapes - Coastal and Land, Still Life - Florals & Much More
  • Horizon Health and the most excellent after care
    In Artful Reflections

Categories

Copyright

As the artist I retain the the reproductive rights to my artwork in any form.

My Artwork may not be photographed, sketched, painted, added in part or in whole to any other artwork, or reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the artist prior to moving forward.

Thank you for following along and appreciating my work.

©Helen Shideler

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