Small-Ship Expeditions 2022-2023
I was in the Heart of the Arctic again in 2022, sailing in a small expedition ship from Baffin Island to West Greenland.
In June 2023, I will explore the coasts of the Inner and Outer Hebrides and in August 2023 will set sail for Svalbard and East Greenland.
Fall 2019
Early fall 2019 took me to Southern Greenland and then to Wild Labrador. This expedition travel was again with Adventure Canada on board the ship Ocean Endeavor. I requested my same interior cabin that had no porthole. I was granted this request and felt right a home in this shipboard studio space. My artwork focused on ocean currents, waves and strong winds. It was about the relationship of the above with Inuit culture and marine and land mammals. On the ship I traced a nomadic path that had been travelled before by the inhabitants of this land and sea. There were many bears in Wild Labrador-both white and black.
I did see the Northern Lights on the ship. They are magic over the ocean with no light pollution. The world seems dreamlike in the northern latitudes.
Mid August 2018 – The High Arctic
Mid August 2018 thru early September, brought me to the High Arctic region with Adventure Canada’s expedition cruise aboard their ship the Ocean Endeavour. Our itinerary was to journey through the Northwest Passage. With my eyes wide open, my body and spirit in motion, I navigated this realm on top of the world.
I am a painter. My cabin, 5142, was my working studio. It was an interior cabin and perfect to take my outside wanderings to a quite place to process and paint. It was not as I expected, and it was everything I wanted.From the decks of the Endeavour, I watched marine mammals, icebergs, sea–ice and ocean currents. For me, the best way to experience the Arctic Ocean, was from its surface in zodiacs. In these small boats, from this orientation, on the surface of the ocean I could feel the momentum of ocean currents physically and emotionally.
The Polar Bear, Ursus Maritimus, became my spirit animal. In my work and dreams, this white bear sometimes appears as a Blue bear.I thank the Adventure Canada’s staff, the Inuit culturalists, zodiac guides, and science and art lecturers for making this travel unique and full of hands on learning.
I am continuing to paint this journey on canvas. This coming summer, I will bring out a new book as well, with the working title, The Art of Arranging Passage in Northern Latitudes.
The Art of Arranging Auroras in Whiteout Conditions — Iceland – 2018
2018 brought me on a winter journey to Iceland. The cottage I stayed in was close to Thingvellir National Park. It was in the middle of a vast space, empty of man made things. In Iceland, nature dominates culture. I was hoping to see auroras but this was not to be. My trip turned out to be about ice, snow and wind instead. I didn’t see auroras of brilliant colors made visible by electrically charged particles fueled by solar winds. I danced in a different light. The paintings I made revealed what I felt about the beauty of the colored light displays that appeared as neon signs made of atmospheric gases. I watched in awe the white and grey of ice, and saw snow become winter winds swirling around me. The air was kinetic and full of energy not seen but felt. I saw landscapes and skies in whiteouts. I photographed them, painted them, in combination and over them with my imagined Auroras. This July brought the publication of The Art of Arranging Auroras in Whiteout Conditions.
This new edition of my artist book is in two forms: printed and digital; these editions have been transformed in collaboration with book designer and editor, Amy Reilly. Together we arranged the collection
of paintings into a process narrative to create a graphic story. The original paintings, Maggie, the cottage, the weather conditions, and the megalithic Cairns of stones, have now become a cast of characters who have a story to tell.December 2016 :: Group Show: Whiskey and Goldfish
Tatjana Loh, Helen Chellin, Katherine Hisako Kodama and Dan Kilpatrick
Canessa Gallery
708 Montgomery, San FranciscoDecember 2 - 29, 2016
First Friday Preview: December 2nd, 6-8pmOpening Reception: Saturday, December 10th, 6-8pm
Gallery open on Wednesday afternoons and by appointmentContact Helen Chellin at helen@helenchellin.com
MAY 2015 :: ART OPENING AT EHS PILATES
During May, June and July, 2015 I will be exhibiting my of paintings
at the EHS Pilates Studio Building, top floor in San Francisco’s Mission District.These paintings are part of a series I am working on called Split screen: Stories of Many Dimensions. I will be showing with artist Cherie Racti.
The Show Opening will be Sunday May 10 from 7pm to 10pm
1452 Valencia St. SF, CA 94110
between 25th & 26thI look forward to seeing you there!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PUBLICATIONS March 2015
The Art of Arranging Japanese Volcanoes - paintings by Helen ChellinThis multiple edition book of 104 paintings is based on my journal and sketchbook The Art of Arranging Japanese Volcanoes created during my travels to Japan in summer 2013.
Here I paint the forces that produce instability inherent in Japan’s natural world, a world filled with volcanoes, tsunamis, and earthquakes. I then contrast that world with the human desire for systems of order, balance, harmony and calm often found in Japanese Ikebana (flower arranging). The travel that brought me to Japan included attending the conference of International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) 2013. This scientific assembly was held in the city of Kagoshima on the island of Kyushu Like my paintings, Japanese Ikebana is a disciplined art form in which the forces of culture and nature are brought together.
There are two versions of my sketchbook, the digital and the unique editions.
This book is for sale on CreateSpace and Amazon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~50/50 SHOW, August 2014
On Aug. 22, 2014 I will be joining a group of artists in the 6th Annual
50/50 show at the Sanchez Art Center-Pacifica, California-www.sanchezartcenter.orgEach artist will be showing 50- 6inch by 6inch panels on a wall grid that were painted over 50 days with each having an overall theme. Mine is The Art of Arranging Japanese Volcanoes
The show juror - Jack Fischer (Jack Fischer Gallery-SF,CA.)
Preview: Friday August 22, 6-7:30
Grand Opening: Friday Aug. 22, 7:30-9:30
Closing Day: Sunday Sept. 28,1-5pm~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SF OPEN STUDIO: Saturday October 18 & Sunday October 19, 2014
I will be showing my work with the work of artist Cherie Raciti
At her studio located at
Hunters Point Shipyard
BLDG 101- Studio 1517
October 18 & 19, 11am to 6pmPreview Weekend: October 11 & 12
SF Open Studios Exhibition is open! View over 400 artworks by SF Open Studios artists and plan your studio tours for the next four weekends.
• Where: SOMArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan Street, SF
• Exhibition Dates: Friday, October 10 - Sunday, November 9
• Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday, noon-7pm / Saturday, 11am-5pm / Sunday, 11am-3pm
• Admission: Free and open to the public.More information about SF Open studios- www.artspan.org
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PUBLICATIONS COMING SUMMER 2014
Summer 2013 took me to Japan- to do fieldwork for creating my artist book titled The Japanese Art of Volcano Arrangement. It is offered as a unique edition.
There will be a small Giclee fine art digital print edition that is hand bound in a custom built housing. This work will also be printed in a large multiple edition to be offered on Amazon books.
The travel that my artist book is based on included attending the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior conference (IAVCEI)
The IAVCEI 2013 Scientific Assembly was held in Kagoshima city. Kagoshima city is one of the Kyushu's largest cities, and is located across Kagoshima-bay from the summit of Sakurajima volcano, which is one of the most active volcanoes in Japan.
I accompanied geologist Dr. Margaret Mangan.
I went on the following conference field trips.
Pre conference field trip
Unzen and Aso volcanoes, central Kyushu, Japan: New lava dome climb and 1991-95 pyroclastic flows (Unzen) and active crater and one of the largest caldera in Japan (Aso)
Post conference field trip
Kirishima and Sakurajima volcanoes and their source calderas in southern Kyushu.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SAN FRANCISCO, March 2014
Second book released in Kilauea painting series:
One Hundred Views Of Kilauea Volcano Volume Two: 51 – 100
This book completes the series of paintings inspired by the volcano and the people who live and work on it. The first fifty were published last year in book format with an introduction by Christina Heliker.Order both volumes are available on It is for sale on Amazon.
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HAWAII October 2013
‘Fifty Views of Kilauea Volcano’ opens today in Hilo
Special to West Hawaii Today October 2, 2013 - 7:00pm
Fifty Views of Kilauea Volcano, paintings by Helen Chellin, will be presented in Wailoa Art and Cultural Center’s Fountain Gallery today through Oct. 24.A reception for the artist is planned in conjunction with the eighth annual Big Island Woodworkers and Artist Invitational and Big Island Ukulele Guild’s celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. today in the main gallery. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
Chellin recently published the first volume of “One Hundred Views of Kilauea Volcano.” The gallery will display the first 50 original paintings in that series.
Chellin, a 16-year part-time Big Island resident, said Kilauea’s shapes, colors and textures and the volcano’s sheer scale and power inspire her work. Her paintings utilize multiple layers of images combining the “viscosity, tactile quality and hot nature of paint, like lava, with the coolness of photography.” “It is the connection between landscapes and culture that inspires my paintings,” she also noted.
View more of Chellin’s work at helenchellin.com. For more information on the Wailoa Arts and Cultural Center, call 933-0416 or email wailoa@yahoo.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~RED CINDER PRESS
Red Cinder Press was created by Red Cinder Creativity Center and book artist Helen Chellin to publish artist books and other books of special interest.Helen Chellin is a nationally recognized painter and book artist who has exhibited widely for many years.
The Art Of Arranging Japanese Volcanoes is for sale on CreateSpace and Amazon.
One Hundred Views of Kilauea Volcano. Volume One: and Two are for sale on CreateSpace and Amazon.
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