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Helen Shideler

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Helen Shideler
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  • Artwork
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    • Animal Kingdom
    • East Coast Stills
    • Feathered Friends
    • Florals
    • Mussels and More
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    • Scapes
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  • Artist Blog
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    • My Artistic Journey CV
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    • Animal Kingdom
    • Feathered Friends
    • Florals
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    • Available Artwork
    • My Plein Air Journey
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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
  • Artwork,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    Two in their new home

    12 May 2015 / No Comments

    Ever since I painted these two dahlias, my daughter Jenn has had her eye on them. We finally had the opportunity to get them out to Vancouver without the hefty shipping charges. How you ask? Out of the frames, off the stretcher bars, rolled in towels and placed in her sister’s suitcase. Although it is a bit risky to put valuables in a suitcase, it worked and they arrived safely. Although I probably would not recommend this by the way. Do as I say, not as I do  My father had an expression that made me crazy “do as I say, not as I do”.   And here I am…

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    Helen Shideler

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    Sunny Serenade, A Lilac story

    12 January 2025

    Spring is finally here

    24 March 2022

    Ducks in a Row

    10 April 2020
  • Poured Watercolour,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    Summer’s Jewels – Nasturtiums

    3 May 2015 / No Comments

    Summer’s Jewels was so much fun to work on – I mean I completely love these colours.  And I completely loved pouring the colours of nasturtiums!  There were a few moments of uncertainty – like when the making compound really did not want to come off.  Took me a few hours…. and a blister to make it happen!   This painting went through seven different pours – one colour I applied twice to increase the intensity. Below is the peel reveal I friend and I were recently discussing colours what subjects pour better or what make a successful poured painting. Whether monochromatic or complimentary colours pallets would be more effective? I…

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    Helen Shideler

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    Sunshine Yellow Azaleas

    23 March 2015

    Ducks in a Row

    10 April 2020

    Magenta Magic

    22 October 2017
  • My Painting Process,  Poured Watercolour,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    Sunshine Yellow Azaleas

    23 March 2015 / No Comments

    I just finished this poured watercolor commission of sunshiny yellow azaleas I think what I like best about poured paintings is how fast they seem to build. The process keeps you engaged daily – I typically work on them each day for about two weeks. Each stage has to dry completely before you move onto the next. But the progress really builds nicely. There were seven pours with this painting. Once completely dry I removed the frisket. I call this the peel reveal. Some artists take their work to this stage and call it done. I personally cannot do this, although I have been tempted a few times with the…

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    Helen Shideler

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    Bay of Fundy Blues

    19 January 2020

    Scent of Spring and some self reflection

    30 March 2020

    When Your Art Page Gets Hacked

    4 November 2025
  • Artwork,  Fauna - Feathers and Fur,  Poured Watercolour

    Duckie Duet and trouble with my easel

    7 March 2015 / No Comments

    So today I had one of those days in the studio  Everything I touched went wrong. Easel Troubles The bottom support on my big easel dropped to the floor right through my fingers with a loud bang and a bad word.  The ball bearings in the crank mechanism hit the floor and rolled all over the place. Unfortunately we were unable to recover all of them. Does anyone know how to reassemble a crank easel?  The air in the studio has to be exceptionally dry this time of year with the electric heat going all the time. Because of the dry wood on the easel frame we couldn’t tighten it…

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    Helen Shideler

    You May Also Like

    Memories of Addo National Park

    20 October 2019

    Nut Case

    20 May 2019

    Sea Shells at the Sea Shore

    8 June 2025
  • Artwork,  Events,  Scapes - Coastal and Land,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    30 Paintings in 30 days Finale

    1 February 2015 / No Comments

    Wow.  What can I say.  I really did stick with the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.  Only I painted 28.  Really 27 as my last painting was finished today – after the end of the challenge.   I am so glad I decided to do this challenge for a few reasons – it help passed this cold month and I wanted to use materials and subjects I do not always get around to.  And I learned a lot. I learned that I actually do like acrylic paint.  I just do not like to use it on canvas as I am unable to get the degree of detail I want…

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    Helen Shideler

    You May Also Like

    Memories of Addo National Park

    20 October 2019

    I see you – painting of a sparrow

    18 May 2015

    Nut Case

    20 May 2019
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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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    • Fauna – Feathers and Fur (19)
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  • My Painting Process (50)
    • Helpful Hints (7)
    • Lessons Learned (23)
    • Poured Watercolour (13)
  • My Plein Air Adventures (20)
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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

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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