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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
  • Artist’s Blog
  • Painted Places
  • Events
    • Fund Raisers
    • Exhibitions
    • Events
  • Contact me

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Recent Posts

  • Sun, Salt and Slow Time
    In My Plein Air Adventures, Travelling Colours
  • Q1 and what have I done?
    In Artwork, Fauna - Feathers and Fur, From My Studio, Scapes - Coastal and Land, Still Life - Florals & Much More
  • 2025 A Year of Color and Attention
    In Artful Reflections, Scapes - Coastal and Land, Still Life - Florals & Much More

Meet Helen Shideler

Artist, Plein Air Painter and Blogger
Meet Helen

View Helen's Art Portfolio

Explore Helen's wide spectrum of subjects that include florals, birds, landscapes and still life world. Painting in oils, acrylics or watercolours.
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My Plein Air Journey

Explore the seasons with me through my Plein Air artwork.
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FAQs
  • A Tale Unfolds,  Artwork,  Fauna - Feathers and Fur

    Snack Attack

    27 October 2019 / No Comments

    While sitting on the beach with my daughter and two grandsons, patiently waiting for the arrival of baby boy #3, we were entertained by crows swiping food from the strollers and picnic basket of unsuspecting beaching people. A Tale Unfolds – Snack Attack Sneak thieves What was most interesting with their behaviour is that they watched the people to ensure they were distracted and not watching their stuff. I had my camera trained on them for a long time happily taking photos. One crow in particular perched on the back of a stroller and picked it’s way through the treasure in the back. Only after taking many photos and marvelling…

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    Helen Shideler

    You May Also Like

    Home Away From Home

    11 February 2024

    Lots of work happening

    11 March 2023

    The problem with Prussian blue – A comedy

    21 July 2018
  • Artwork,  My Painting Process,  Poured Watercolour,  Travelling Colours

    Memories of Addo National Park

    20 October 2019 / No Comments

    Last year we had the wonderful opportunity to travel to South Africa. And what would a trip to SA be without going on a safari? We were very fortunate to be able to go to Addo Elephant National Park and spend a couple of days there. I think this needs experience needs to be captured in a series of painting – both with poured watercolour and large oils. Safari We were so excited to be on safari in an open jeep that for the first few hours we did not even mind the rain! We knew South Africa had been in a long draught so we would not dare to…

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    Helen Shideler

    You May Also Like

    May you live in interesting times…

    23 December 2020

    Painting of a Dragonfly on the Fence

    15 July 2016

    Making of Chill Seekers Polar Bear Dip

    20 February 2021
  • Artwork,  Fauna - Feathers and Fur

    Striking Visitor

    5 October 2019 / No Comments

    Almost always when I am working on a painting the title just comes to me. They literally name themselves. This painting was no exception however, I did’t feel right about using it as it was on the naughty side. It took me a long the  time to come up with the alternative Striking Visitor. Yet, that is exactly the type of title I wanted. Draws attention to the pileated woodpecker and sound a bit regal or impressive. When you are fortunate enough to see one – it is is a big deal. They stop you in your tracks. The winding painting process This painting was a long time in the…

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    Helen Shideler

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    Call of the Raven

    26 October 2014

    Sea Shells at the Sea Shore

    8 June 2025

    Stepping Out Ruddy Turnstones

    16 May 2020
  • Artful Reflections,  Artwork

    A nice story

    18 June 2019 / No Comments

    I love a nice story. And I have one to share with you. Awhile back I offered to donate a pet portrait as a fundraiser for a group (Red Head Strays helping cats strut) that works tirelessly to rescue and foster cats. I thought I would have completed the painting in January,but Mother Nature had other ideas. I think you know the story. Snow. Rain. Flash freezing. Flash flooding! inside my studio unfortunately. And of course, pretty sure you know how this went – the basement and studio mess as a result. Back to the story Once upon a time there were two little girls who liked to swing on…

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    Helen Shideler

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    Muscles, Mussels and More

    5 April 2025

    Spring is finally here

    24 March 2022

    Horizon Health and the most excellent after care

    27 April 2025
  • Artwork,  Fauna - Feathers and Fur

    Nut Case

    20 May 2019 / 2 Comments

    Once upon a rainy day this Eastern Grey Squirrel was perched on our deck railing under our bird feeders. Happy and proud. Perching just for me waiting to be photographed. Earlier we had decided we wanted to feed the blue jays…but the squirrels had a different idea. Omigoodness the melie Blue jays tend to loudly announce their arrival. Shrieking in their arrival. The squirrels are aggressively willing to defend their stash. There were a number of interesting clashes of wit and will of feathers VS fur that provided us with endless hours of entertainment.  It may be a rather selfish thing to feed the birds.  This fella was perched just…

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    Helen Shideler

    You May Also Like

    Ever Watchful – Cardinal painting

    15 February 2020

    Muscles, Mussels and More

    5 April 2025

    Here we go again for the 4th time

    5 February 2018
7891011

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 (15)
  • Artwork (79)
    • Fauna – Feathers and Fur (19)
    • People (4)
    • Scapes – Coastal and Land (15)
    • Still Life – Florals & Much More (38)
  • Events (25)
  • From My Studio (12)
    • Product Review (7)
  • Kudos (9)
  • My Painting Process (50)
    • Helpful Hints (7)
    • Lessons Learned (23)
    • Poured Watercolour (13)
  • My Plein Air Adventures (20)
  • Travelling Colours (20)

Tags

coastal art Feathered Friends florals and feathers 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.

Had to drive around to find some inspiration this Had to drive around to find some inspiration this afternoon. I loved the sky and wanted that to be the main part of my painting. Always knew that cars drive fast on country roads…but then you are standing beside the road…you really get to see how incredibly fast they drive! This is a cautionary tale not to be tempted to set up to paint on an unprotected soft shoulder.

Was so nice to feel warmth today. Happy painting day

#beautifulnewbrunswick #livelifeincolour #getoutsideandpaint #canadianartdaily #pleinaircanada
Omigoodness Omigoodness So incredibly happy to b Omigoodness Omigoodness 

So incredibly happy to be outside painting once again. I was seriously going through withdrawal. Missing both painting outside and my good friend @dalecookart .  We got wimpy this winter…but in fairness to us the wind was relentless and my new knee kinda meh. When I first started painting the wind was at my back…then it shifted…and came at me front on! My hands froze. My nose froze. I put on a coat…didn’t help. April in New Brunswick Where the seasons change three times every day 🤣.

Happy with my painting knowing my hands and paint were both frozen

#beautifulnewbrunswick #getoutsideandpaint #livelifeincolour #pleinaircanada #helenshideler
Memory Lane Omigoodness this is like a happy reun Memory Lane

Omigoodness this is like a happy reunion 

Looking through my pile of watercolour Plein Air paintings. From the beaches of PEI to San Diego and Coronado Island to Bermuda and Wyoming ….New Brunswick and BC and even Florida

So many memories and I remember every day around each of these paintings 
This is why painting from life is so important to me…the colours, the sensations and reason for the paintings are forever embedded in my memory-  and are often teased out in my studio work.
I am so blessed that I’ve been able to travel and paint

Happy memories 

#livelifeincolour #getoutsideandpaint #pleinairpainter #pleinaircanada #helenshideler
Special Commission I am so very grateful that I Special Commission 

I am so very grateful that I was asked to paint this commission. It is a really heartfelt painting for the owners and through the early discussion stage we discovered that we have a connection that made this process even more special…and emotional.  Often in our lives I profoundly believe that we are guided to make connections. This experience was most definitely one of those times. Thank you….

I combined three different photos to create this piece. 
Acrylic on cradled wood panel
12x24”

#eastcoastartist #beautifulnewbrunswick #beautifulnewbrunswick #livelifeincolour #helenshideler
“HIGH HOPES” That look of longing. Of knowing wha “HIGH HOPES”

That look of longing. Of knowing what is up there and but not how to reach it. It’s our peanut feeder. Just high enough to be out of reach and no way for him to swipe one or two. These clever birds will almost always find a way. This one started to bully the blue jays into dropping their treasured peanuts!  Quite the raucous. Quite the show!

12x12x1.5” 
Acrylic on deep cradled panel

#eastcoastartist #livelifeincolour #crowsofinstagram #crowart #helenshideler
DOING THE HOKEY POKEY So much fun….and this song DOING THE HOKEY POKEY

So much fun….and this song was going through my mind for most of the time I was painting it. Who can resist a dancing crow?

12 x 12 x1.5” acrylic on deep cradled panel

#artinprogress #eastcoastartist #helenshideler #crowart #contemporyrealism
“ATTITUDE” He didn’t fly in. He just walked. Stra “ATTITUDE”

He didn’t fly in. He just walked. Straight towards me. I was crouched on the ground at Lily Lake trying to get some great duck reference photos. Then I felt its presence. Turned with camera ready…..

No rush. No fear. Just that steady, deliberate approach — like he already owns the ground. Probably thinking I was going to feed him.

There’s something about a crow coming straight at you. Not frantic. With intent. And all “Attitude”

Acrylic on deep cradled panel 
12x12x 1.5”

#crow #contemporarypainting #birdart #eastcoastartist #helenshideler
“Moonlit Magic” I had a vision for this painting “Moonlit Magic”

I had a vision for this painting with a very dark background…and it worked. But only in the daytime. So I went back in and lit up the background some…and now the painting works in the evening and daytime.

I’m surprising myself at how much I’m enjoying acrylics I’ve again…mind you not the dry time. I have a mini split in my studio. Often the painting works is literally dry on my brush before I can get it on my painting. This is tough on my brushes as well.  Working through my supply of surfaces in hopes of bringing it down to a reasonable stash. Called high hopes eh?

11x14 acrylic on cradled wood panel

#eastcoastartist #helenshideler #studiowork #artinprogress
“Spring Delivery” The robins bring joy to my hear “Spring Delivery”

The robins bring joy to my heart. They are most often the first of the migratory birds to come back - giving us hope that spring really is on its way. And with that hope comes nesting season.  We have had robins nest at our cottage, at our home beside our power meter, and in our climbing hydrangeas in our backyard. It is always delightful and feels like such a privilege to see. 

Spring Delivery is a bit of an experiment. I started out by pouring acrylics….they were not happy to pour on this surface - but I stayed with it and it worked out. My goal was to add some depth before I started painting. 

Acrylic on gesso board. 12x16”

#eastcoastartist #robinsofinstagram #nestingrobin #birdsinart #helenshideler
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Recent Posts

  • Sun, Salt and Slow Time
    In My Plein Air Adventures, Travelling Colours
  • Q1 and what have I done?
    In Artwork, Fauna - Feathers and Fur, From My Studio, Scapes - Coastal and Land, Still Life - Florals & Much More
  • 2025 A Year of Color and Attention
    In Artful Reflections, Scapes - Coastal and Land, Still Life - Florals & Much More
  • When Your Art Page Gets Hacked
    In Artful Reflections, Lessons Learned, My Painting Process, Scapes - Coastal and Land

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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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