Helgemo''s portfolio | contact the artist

• Artist's Statement
• Education
• Awards
• Exhibitions
• Teaching
• Publications
• Galleries
• Collections

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

All visual phenomena is abstract, whether it be a modernist painting or a bright garden. But, as painters, it says something about our own temperament and inclinations whether our subject matter is founded on imagination –of the mind's eye; or the systems of nature – as apprehended by the eyes that look out on the world.

All artists express themselves through their art – intentional or not. Whether it be the deliberate choice of certain color harmonies to evoke a certain mood, or the use of sketchy, untidy brushwork hurriedly left unfinished, unwittingly reflecting the artist’s passionate impatience. One difference between artists is whether self expression is the aim and priority or if it is just something that happens unselfconsciously, en route in the pursuit of nature.

As a representational artist, Dan’s aim is to make it “like”-to make a statement about nature and not himself. But of course there is something about oneself, one’s tastes and temperament, revealed in the choice of subject matter and how it is composed, not to mention the handling. Dan feels that he is the pursuer, and the object of pursuit is in nature itself – in the air surrounding a landscape or the curves of a figure’s pose – and not in his own head.

But in the process of pursuing the look of nature he recognizes that aspect of self expression that is inevitable, natural and therefore welcome. It is this that can present self discovery and reveal self knowledge. Perhaps this is what is common between the world of nature and one’s own nature – human nature. We do what we do just as flora, fauna ,weather ,planets, etc.- in accordance with forces outside ourselves; we can hopefully just watch and accept.

Painting is one thing that can allow for this. He feels it is this experience that transports the representational artist’s craft beyond just slavish copying into something truly spiritual. It is as if one is saying: “I saw this and something in my nature recognized it and it moved me; and in gratitude I will try in my own feeble way to recreate some aspect of it in order to remember….and to give something back” –revealing oneself, warts and all, along the way.

Dan Helgemo presently resides in Marshall, NC (near Asheville) with an island studio close to downtown.  There he paints still lifes, portrait and figurative subjects, teaches drawing and painting classes and occasional workshops and travels throughout the area to paint plein air landscape.  He shows in a few galleries in the east and hopes to expand eventually throughout the country.   

EDUCATION [ top ]

AWARDS [ top ]

2006	Second Place- Art in the Park competition- Greenville, SC
2003	Academic Artists Association 53rd Annual National Exhibition – Jurors’ Choice Wilton Art and Film Festival – Second Place Figurative Wilton Art and Film Festival – Third Place Figurative Two Honorable Mentions – Trinidad National Fine Art Exhibition
2001	Certificate of Merit – American Society of Portrait Artists competition
1997	Awarded scholarship to study with Robert Douglas Hunter through Copley Society student show

EXHIBITIONS [ top ]

2008	Open house and group exhibits-Marshall High Studios-Marshall, NC Group exhibit-Madison County Arts Council-Marshall, NC The Artist Index group exhibit-Dewees Island Arts Council-Dewees Island, SC
2007	Thoroughly Impressionist-one man exhibit at Artworks-Richmond, VA
2006	Impressions of the Figure exhibit- Gallery 86-Waynesville, NC Art in the Park exhibit- Gallery 202-Greenville, SC Open Studios- Solteria- Greenville , SC Holiday Art Market- Solteria –Greenville, SC Belton Center for the Arts-Belton, SC
2005	Art in the Park- Greenville, SC Invitational Art Show and Silent Auction Benefit-The College Club of Boston- Boston , MA
2004	First Stock Art Gallery – From Burma to Boston – Deerfield, NH
2003	Academic Artists Association – Springfield, MA Jaffrey Civic Center Annual Show – Jaffrey, NH Wilton Art and Film Festival – Wilton, NH Renaissance Festival – Manchester, NH
2002	Power’s Gallery Boston School show – Acton, MA Gallery at Langer Place – Manchester, NH Harvard Club of Boston – Boston, MA Glenwood 20 Gallery - two man show: paintings - Charles Brooks and Dan Helgemo – Raleigh, NC
2001	Power’s Gallery figurative show – Acton, MA Art Student’s League – NY with American Society of portrait artist finalists – New York, NY
2000	Duxbury Art Association – Duxbury, MA Power’s Gallery Boston School show – Acton, MA
1997	Copley Society student show – Boston, MA

TEACHING [ top ]

Figure Painting Workshop- Gallery 86- Waynesville, NC Portrait Painting Demonstration- Daly Designs Gallery- Greenville, SC Portrait Painting and Drawing classes- through Greenville studio Portrait Painting Workshop – Jaffrey Civic Center – Jaffrey, NH Private classes through Manchester Studio – Manchester, NH

PUBLICATIONS [ top

2006	Link- April 18, 2006- article pg. 18 Metrobeat- Sep. 26-article- Old School
2005	The Greenville News – Section B pg. 1 – paintings reproduced – Monday September 19, 2005
2003	1 Monadnock Ledger – painting reproduced – Thursday May 1st 2003 pg. 19 The Hippo Manchester – Volume 3 No. 22 - article pg. 14
2001	The Portrait Signature – Festival Review 2001 – painting reproduced pg. 34

GALLERIES [ top ]

Powers Gallery - Acton, MA First Stock Gallery – Deerfield, NH Framer’s Market – Bedford, NH Gallery at Grove-Greenville,SC

COLLECTIONS [ top ]

Many private collections throughout the eastern United States, particularly in New England and the southeastern states