Gloaming, has been honored and is currently included in the Autumn Color exhibit at the DuPage Art League until October 27th. If you are local, stop in and take a look at the beautiful work from local artists!
This painting comes from a photo I took at Herrick Lake, a local Forest Preserve in DuPage County. It was in late fall as sunlight lit up the beautiful colors, a signature of autumn!
Celestial Dream
20 x 20 x 1.5" acrylic on canvas
©2025 Helen Read
Find out more information on this painting here
Having grown up in rural Texas, I remember many dark nights when the
Milky Way was a beautiful display across the sky.
It is not so visible in our light filled skies of the 21st Century, but that doesn't mean it is not there!
This painting captures just a glimpse of something greater and much more mysterious.
And I'm reminded of the Creator, who joyfully stations each one in space.
" He determines the number of the stars; He calls them each by name." (Ps. 147:4)
This painting is painted around the 1.5" sides - framing is not recommended.
I love sunsets! And they are especially colorful in the Western U.S.
Just a few weeks ago, I watched a. beautiful summer sunset in Sweet, Idaho.
The last light of the sun was brilliant,
giving vivid color to everything from sky to earth!
This painting uses metallic gold and vivid color in an abstract style to
commemorate the beauty of the moment!
My mind went to the psalmist's words:
The heavens proclaim the glory of God,
The skies display His craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
Night after night they make Him known.
They speak without a sound or word... (from Psalm 19)
You can see more on this painting here!
The thought was intriguing! Collaborating with someone I didn't know for an entry into a group show. Yes, I thought, why not? I met with a local poet one time to talk about some ideas we had that might work. We came up with just a skeleton of an idea and from there, we both worked independently, but would hang our work as a cohesive piece.
Our idea of Rivers came from the beginning and the ending of the Bible - A river is mentioned in Genesis 2, coming From God through the Garden of Eden to water the lands beyond. And then in Revelation 22, a river from the Throne of God is described as running through the main street of the Holy City. Book ending scripture in that way seemed to have some significance.
How could I create a visual piece that is inspired by this idea? I began to think in less concrete thoughts and more experimental ideas. One painting seemed unable to hold this idea. I wondered what it would be to work on raw, un-stretched and unsized canvas. I wondered how I could create something like defined boundaries and yet have a flowing watery effect. As I continued to work with these ideas, these are the 2 paintings that flank the poem, The River by Megan Stough.
On the left, Eden's Flowing Waters, 26.75 x 16" acrylic on unstretched canvas
On the right, Eternal Waters of Life, 26.75 x 16" acrylic on unstretched canvas
What did I learn from this experience?
It's challenging and rewarding to work with someone else in this way. Experimenting with ideas stretched me into some new ways of expressing ideas and challenged me to learn some new methods and techniques. The entry that we produced together had more impact than either one of us alone.
Art & Story Exhibit
ArtSpace Gallery - 321 E Front Street, Wheaton, IL
Aug 2 - Sept 12, 2025
Gallery hours: 12:00 - 2:00 MWF & Sun
Image: Helen Read
Eighteen years!! I can hardly believe it…..
It was in early July in 2007 when I had a few moments to myself one evening. I’d been teaching art at the local high school for about 5 years. My children were getting older and more independent and I wondered….. What does the future hold? I had a long history of loving art and studying art and making art, and I was teaching art…. But I wasn’t making a lot of time to create for myself any more.
It was that evening that I decided to sit down at my computer to find out what artists were doing in that slice of time. Really, the world of online artists and blogs was pretty new…. Crazy to think how far we’ve come in these last 18 years! But that evening as I began to investigate, I found a world that would change my life and the way I would step into the future.
I found artists whom I’d never heard of - just regular people - creating and posting their work for the world to see in this newish online space. I found artists blogging and commenting and connecting together online. For the first time, I heard about the Painting-a-Day movement. I saw beautiful and inspiring work in a variety of styles. It was energizing and intriguing.
And that’s how it all began for me. I knew a painting a day was not possible with my busy teaching schedule and family, but I determined I would start that next day to paint every day. And I did. Now, 18 years later, my skills have grown, my style has evolved (and continues to), and I’ve had numerous sales throughout the US, and in Europe and Asia. But the most important part of this story is what I’ve learned along the way, and how I can look back and see how God directed my path.
I’m convinced that there’s a "secret sauce" here in my journey, and I love to (and should) share it with others. These are the building blocks that have been vital to me and my artistic growth.
Yes, things have changed in lots of ways over the last 18 years. The online world isn’t the same as it was. But, the basics of growth are timeless; commit, be consistent, create accountability, find community and seek ways to expand and grow.
One other thing that I’ve learned and continue to learn is that artists are intentionally designed by God to be artists! And He calls us to this artistic life on purpose! Sometimes we need to be reminded of that.
So,
I’m celebrating 18 years of growing and becoming more of who I was
created to be. I hope you feel encouraged by my story on your artistic
journey - it’s never too late or too early to grow and become! Maybe you
have a story of creative growth … I’d love to hear it!
Sunlit Meadow, 10x8" oil on canvas
©Helen C Read
These last few weeks, I've been working on a commission. To prepare for that commission, I wanted to get shapes and colors figured out. So, this painting is a preparatory painting for that commission.
Capturing the colors of a sunlit day, then capturing them on a figure was the challenge with this.
Soon, this painting be added to my website: https://HelenCRead.com.
Morning Chill, 11x14" oil on canvas
©2025 Helen Read
Winter in the north can have very minimal color.
While creation is sleeping, the world is covered in a snowy blanket with blue shadows of all that
stands tall in the landscape. On a clear day, the sky can be a beautiful azure.
As a painter, I was attracted to the way the shadows pulsed across the landscape in bands of blue, the brightness of the sun, defusing its light through the branches of the trees, and how much subtle color can be seen in the white snow.
See more of this painting and others at my website!
How do you bring vibrant spring color into your home? Color that never fades...
Visit my collection of Spring Paintings that are
listed at 40% off
Now through April 9th!
Domestic Shipping is included!
Framing Options are given!
This small gems are packed with joyful color that reminds us of th
Playing with color and with marks and with composition - you figure out possibilities with sketchbook explorations. Starting with no expectations, it's fun to see what just unfolds as you go! Who knows, this one may be the inspiration for a new painting!
This sketchbook painting (acrylic) measures 6x6". I think it would make a lovely large wall statement!
Some of the process is shown below of the stages.
Thundering Waves, 16x20" acrylic on canvas
©Helen C Read
If you love an oceanic theme and colors, that is what this painting evokes.
There is an implied sense of strength and power in the brush strokes and depth of blues and greens.
The textured canvas reminds us of terra firma.
Check out all the details up close at my website!
Take a look behind the scenes and see my process for the painting
Leave a comment! Are you intrigued by abstract work?
Amber in Blue - 12x6" acrylic on canvas
SOLD
This painting really was an experiment. It started on a gessoed canvas, painted with blues and magenta, sprayed with alcohol, dried and then loosely painted with acrylics. I'm not sure if it lived up to my imagination as I started the experiment, but I think it has become an interesting, very impressionistic painting.
This painting is a FEATURED PAINTING just for March 2025! It is priced at about 55% off - $180.95.
Domestic Shipping is included!
It's usual pricing is $329! See the details right here! Don't let this amazing pricing pass you by! It's a bright pop of color for that small wall!
Winter Wonder
watercolor on paper
This painting is my Free Download to my Artful Friends for the month of February.
Overshadowed, 18x24" oil on canvas
More experiments in the realm of abstract painting. This one uses some metallic gold oil paint and is highly textured. Colors of blues/violets and gold.
This will be posted on my website as soon as it has dried.
