Welcome.
The world of an artist (this one!) is sometimes chaotic, not always beautiful, always worthwhile. Putting words to inner experience is not always easy. The following are small stories, bits & pieces of what's gone into the work... It's been a joy to share of what I've learned along the way, both as a teacher and an artist within a larger community. Blog posts are written sporadically. To get the latest, be sure to join the mailing list. xoxo Heloise
J.Heloise: The Blog
Arrive. A PNW Life...
I made a playlist called “Arrive, a PNW playlist” several months prior to moving from Jersey City/NYC to the west coast. I had not actually decided where I was moving...
Arrive. A PNW Life...
I made a playlist called “Arrive, a PNW playlist” several months prior to moving from Jersey City/NYC to the west coast. I had not actually decided where I was moving...
SHOWS! SHOWS! THE SHOW must go on..
For years, I didn’t show my work. Between about 2016-2018, I devoted myself to pure art-making. Painted when possible, wrote songs. Performed on occasion. For some artists and musicians, showing...
SHOWS! SHOWS! THE SHOW must go on..
For years, I didn’t show my work. Between about 2016-2018, I devoted myself to pure art-making. Painted when possible, wrote songs. Performed on occasion. For some artists and musicians, showing...
A Midsummer's Commission
Somewhere in the middle of summer, I was approached by a client interested in commissioning an art piece. They wanted to celebrate a loved one’s life milestone… by having an...
A Midsummer's Commission
Somewhere in the middle of summer, I was approached by a client interested in commissioning an art piece. They wanted to celebrate a loved one’s life milestone… by having an...
Something New? A year in paint, 2021
As an artist, I thrive on newness. The sort of newness you’d discover wandering around a new city, or browsing a flea market. For me, a new story is a...
Something New? A year in paint, 2021
As an artist, I thrive on newness. The sort of newness you’d discover wandering around a new city, or browsing a flea market. For me, a new story is a...
Alaska. The Journey, The Record
I grew up going to a girls’ summer camp where Adventure was what we dreamed of. It was our currency. Daily we were braving storms to take our sailboats further,...
Alaska. The Journey, The Record
I grew up going to a girls’ summer camp where Adventure was what we dreamed of. It was our currency. Daily we were braving storms to take our sailboats further,...
How to be Alone
It’s not something I talk about often. In America, we often go about our days surrounded by people.. we hope they’ll be caring and gentle with us. But when I...
How to be Alone
It’s not something I talk about often. In America, we often go about our days surrounded by people.. we hope they’ll be caring and gentle with us. But when I...
Start from the beginning. Do all things with love.
It is never too late to start all over again. To be honest, I never thought I’d be an artist— at least, not while growing up in suburban NJ. The...
Start from the beginning. Do all things with love.
It is never too late to start all over again. To be honest, I never thought I’d be an artist— at least, not while growing up in suburban NJ. The...
Getting Weird.
Of all the things I’ve learned through art, I believe the primary is this: never be afraid to get weird. In fact, often I have to trick myself into believing...
Getting Weird.
Of all the things I’ve learned through art, I believe the primary is this: never be afraid to get weird. In fact, often I have to trick myself into believing...
Why Dance is Eternal
As I’ve spent hours and hours in the dance studio, reshaping poses, finding muscles I didn’t know were there and working them to the brink, I’ve come to a simple...
Why Dance is Eternal
As I’ve spent hours and hours in the dance studio, reshaping poses, finding muscles I didn’t know were there and working them to the brink, I’ve come to a simple...
On Abstraction
When I was young, I remember a specific trip to the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) in NYC, where I asked my mom in front of a giant abstract Jackson...
On Abstraction
When I was young, I remember a specific trip to the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) in NYC, where I asked my mom in front of a giant abstract Jackson...
Commissions for a CAUSE
I fell into doing commissions by accident. My grandfather, many years ago, asked for a bookcover for a self-published novel and offered some pay for it. I would have done...
Commissions for a CAUSE
I fell into doing commissions by accident. My grandfather, many years ago, asked for a bookcover for a self-published novel and offered some pay for it. I would have done...
From the Archives
A recent review of my files reminded me of commissions past. As a young artist in Burlington, VT, much of how I built my experience and portfolio was taking commissions....
From the Archives
A recent review of my files reminded me of commissions past. As a young artist in Burlington, VT, much of how I built my experience and portfolio was taking commissions....
Camp Creative
I’m so excited to share these new additions to Camp Eagle Island, whose story is detailed in a previous blog post. Volunteers were busy all summer working to repair and...
Camp Creative
I’m so excited to share these new additions to Camp Eagle Island, whose story is detailed in a previous blog post. Volunteers were busy all summer working to repair and...
Fifteen Fashion Faces
A prominent gallery curator in Burlington, VT had come to a show of commissioned fashion drawings I had done, a mix of newer more 'polished' figures and then older ones...
Fifteen Fashion Faces
A prominent gallery curator in Burlington, VT had come to a show of commissioned fashion drawings I had done, a mix of newer more 'polished' figures and then older ones...
Leaving Las Vegas...
I am not at all leaving Las Vegas… but somehow it seemed like the most fitting title! (Thank you, Sheryl Crow, for gifting us that song -- and frame of...
Leaving Las Vegas...
I am not at all leaving Las Vegas… but somehow it seemed like the most fitting title! (Thank you, Sheryl Crow, for gifting us that song -- and frame of...
Queen City, Textile City
It is documented that within Burlington VT's history, numerous buildings have served as factories and warehouses for production of textiles and various textile goods. Perhaps that explains my decision to...
Queen City, Textile City
It is documented that within Burlington VT's history, numerous buildings have served as factories and warehouses for production of textiles and various textile goods. Perhaps that explains my decision to...
Experiments in Taekwondo
It's Throwback Thursday and I've just taken out my favorite Taekwondo T-Shirt.. Initially I went to Taekwondo class in 2014 out of sheer curiosity, wanting to kick things -- and...
Experiments in Taekwondo
It's Throwback Thursday and I've just taken out my favorite Taekwondo T-Shirt.. Initially I went to Taekwondo class in 2014 out of sheer curiosity, wanting to kick things -- and...
And then there was music.
Those who grew up with me know that I spent many long hours in piano lessons -- and exhilarating (occasional) nights in performances of school musicals, All-State Choir, and voice...
And then there was music.
Those who grew up with me know that I spent many long hours in piano lessons -- and exhilarating (occasional) nights in performances of school musicals, All-State Choir, and voice...
Farm to Ballet... Art
When Farm to Ballet began, it was just a twinkle in the eyes… of several devoted adult ballet students, and one inspiring, adventurous teacher - Chatch Pregger. I was lucky...
Farm to Ballet... Art
When Farm to Ballet began, it was just a twinkle in the eyes… of several devoted adult ballet students, and one inspiring, adventurous teacher - Chatch Pregger. I was lucky...
Return to Camp
Nothing better than a 4th of July weekend spent on the island I grew up on… painting! Summers from age 9 were devoted to a Girl Scout Camp in the Adirondack...
Return to Camp
Nothing better than a 4th of July weekend spent on the island I grew up on… painting! Summers from age 9 were devoted to a Girl Scout Camp in the Adirondack...
Tiger Tiger!
The latest artwork has taken a form all its own… tigers that went rainbow. Inspired by both the magnetic energy of the animals themselves, and also the power of movement...
Tiger Tiger!
The latest artwork has taken a form all its own… tigers that went rainbow. Inspired by both the magnetic energy of the animals themselves, and also the power of movement...