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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 Blog
  • Contact me
  • Events
    • Fund Raisers
    • Exhibitions

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  • Home
    • My Artistic Journey CV
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    • 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

  • 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
  • Helpful Hints,  My Painting Process,  Poured Watercolour,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    Sunshine and Shadows floral painting

    9 October 2017 / No Comments

    This sunshine filled floral painting makes me happy.  It’s funny, whenever I think I am finished a painting I will often have self doubt.  That was the case with this one.  I decided to set it aside for awhile and went upstairs to start supper.  When I went back into the studio it stopped me in my tracks.  It was glowing as luminous as I had hoped it would be! The yellows so sunny and yummy.  Poured or sprayed paintings I approached this painting slightly differently by spraying the paint onto the wet surface.  I actually thought that it may be less messy. Boy, was I wrong. The coloured mist…

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    Helen Shideler

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    My Journey into Plein Air…so far

    1 December 2022

    Early wrap to this years challenge

    25 February 2018

    Winters Light Shines Through

    21 August 2016
  • My Painting Process,  Scapes - Coastal and Land,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    The Pond in Mid Summer

    19 March 2017 / No Comments

    Fear factor The Pond in Mid-Summer may be compete! I feel like I have been working on this for such a long time.. and I have…so challenging.   Monochromatic Greens Painting with green in acrylic are also quite the challenge.  The colours are never quite what you expect. And then they dry darker.  Greens in watercolour are so much easier.  There is no standardization in colours between brands. Sap green in one brand may be garish and in another almost olive.  What the heck. That brings me to the colour I love to hate.  Viridian!  It is up there with the ever challenging cerulean  (in watercolour). Vididean is neon, unforgiving…

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    Helen Shideler

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    May you live in interesting times…

    23 December 2020

    Summertime Promises

    20 May 2018

    Colours of Ode to Joy

    8 May 2022
  • My Painting Process,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    Rhodo Rhapsody

    5 March 2017 / 4 Comments

    I little over a year ago, I was out walking along the seawall in Vancouver when I came across this amazing rhododendron.  It literally stopped me in my tracks.  And as good fortune would have it, I happened to have my camera with me. Pure rhododendron rhapsody. The Vancouver difference They grow to be quite huge in Vancouver – everything grows to be quite huge in Vancouver and, they have so many varieties.  I had never seen this one before ever.  It is amazing. I took many photos knowing I would one day be painting it. I have since noticed that the nurseries in the Maritimes are now carrying them.…

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    Helen Shideler

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    The missed shots

    10 November 2024

    Cascading Blooms Watercolour Complete

    28 March 2016

    Summertime Promises

    20 May 2018
  • Artwork,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    Spring Scentsation

    5 February 2017 / 2 Comments

    Large acrylic painting of lilacs is finally signed and off the easel I think I heard a heavenly choir of angels  Hallelujah!  Really I mean it. I have spent so much quality time with this painting.  First scoping all the lilac shrubs in Quispamsis, Rothesay and beyond.  Then taking photos. I scouted, I hunted and even had friends on the lookout for me.  Interesting enough these particular blooms grow in my own backyard. Worth crying over Then I remembered what I forgot.  The wonderful scent of heavily perfumed lilacs are an allergy trigger for me. I managed to take photos through my watery eyes.  This was pretty funny. I was…

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    Helen Shideler

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    Snack Attack

    27 October 2019

    Spring is finally here

    24 March 2022

    Q1 and what have I done?

    24 March 2026
  • Artwork,  Helpful Hints,  Lessons Learned,  My Painting Process,  Product Review,  Still Life - Florals & Much More

    Winters Light Shines Through

    21 August 2016 / 2 Comments

    I have to admit this was one ambitious painting I think I may have a thing about straight lines and me not really know what to do with them.  I always thought I have a steady hand and a good eye… but am not thinking my astigmatism may not know how to deal with them.  Seeing this finished painting sure brings a smile to my face. We have a wonderful hanging stained glass window that was given to us Over the years we (really me) watch with fascination of how the right changes with each season.  Winter is particularly beautiful with the deep colour of the sky and the reflections…

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    Helen Shideler

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    Fetching Fun and a bit of trouble

    10 November 2018

    Growing Skyward

    10 December 2021

    Don’t Butter Me Up

    26 October 2015
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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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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)

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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.

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
“SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT” Because sometimes you g “SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT”

Because sometimes you gotta let the world know….don’t you agree?  I have an idea for a series called Midnight. I think you can see where this may go. One of my many goals for 2026 is to use up a lot of the surfaces that I have on hand. Because, you know, artists collect lots of stuff. 

I think this rather handsome corvid is happy to announce that he’ll have company soon. 

A bit of a product review. This is painted on a pre-gessoed cradled panel. I found the surface to be ridiculously slippery and not user friendly. You cannot layer or glaze before the previous layer is completely dry or the paint will lift off almost back to the original white. AAAAANNNNDDD…it scratches super easy. My fingernails left tracks and they were not easy to cover up.  But I have many. And will use them as the finished work looks great and they are pricey (meaning higher quality I think). I have t named the brand…would only do that privately - but it’s most likely not the one you think. 

#eastcoastartist #artinprogress #studiowork #helenshideler #crowart
“Everlasting Memories” What does one do with thei “Everlasting Memories”

What does one do with their collection of shells? Well, rather than make a wreath…I painted a wreath from my shells. It’s funny, but last year I painted a few other shell paintings. When I look at them, I see the same shells painted into this piece. I must only grab the shells near the top of the case for references.

These shells mean a lot to me. I’d collected them over many years and really do treasure them and the days I got to spend at the beach. I know we are not supposed to take shells from the beach now, but at the time it was an acceptable thing to collect.

This painting is a “Round Tuit” - meaning I’ve been planning on painting this project for many years and I finally got around to it!

24 x24” oil painting with shell details in video
Will be custom framed once dry enough

#eastcoastartist #artinprogress #studiowork #livelifeincolour #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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