Paintings

The medium of these paintings is most often acrylics, treated in a manner like watercolors.  That is, the artist uses a great deal more water with the mixing of colors.  Both acrylics, treated in this manner, and watercolors are considered “watermedia.” Many layers of paint are laid down as images develop. They are executed on watercolor papers or on gessoed hardboard panels. Gwinn’s love of the desert where she lives is apparent here; the cliffs, the open spaces, and the flora and fauna . Small “envelope-like” packets are often tucked into a composition. Although the packets cannot be opened, they contain carefully selected items (sacred writings, fragments of sheet music or newspaper, feathers, sticks, shells, etc) that impact the painting in subtle ways. Dominant figures in an inspiring environment are sometimes the focus of a painting. Collaged elements are usually included. (To purchase or inquire about these paintings, please contact the artist. Method for contacting the artist is on the CONTACT page of this site.)

Colorful abstract floral composition on archival paper with rosy, apricot, pale coral and light green imagery. Barely visible are collaged papers from old scripture and musical texts. Matted and framed 27X21 inches in textured gold-leaf frame.
TIME TO GATHER, watermedia painting with collage, 
21X14 inches, matted and framed in a textured gold-leaf frame 27X20 inches: $800.00
This painting is a stylized crow in a turquoise cathedral arched window shape. The crow is outfitted with colorful clothing including turquoise necklace.
SING!, watermedia, 5X5 inches, matted and
 framed in a simple silver textured wood
 frame. $150.00
RISE AND SHINE Orange tulips in an abstract cruciform composition of flora shapes and angular shades of brown geometric shapes. 16X16X2 inches, cradled panel
“RISE AND SHINE” watermedia painting with collage. 16X16X2 inches on a cradled panel (no framing necessary). $600.00
TIME TO DANCE” watermedia painting on paper with collage.  21X15 inches, matted and framed in simple silver textured frame, 28X22 inches, $800.00
“SUN SONG”  watermedia painting 
with collage on a cradled panel, 
20X16X2.25 inches, $500.00
GATHERING GRACE
watermedia painting on paper
14X11 inches, matted and framed in a simple mahogany frame, 22X18 inches, (sold)
HERITAGE, watermedia painting on paper, 21X14 inches, matted and framed in a simple silver leaf textured frame, (sold)
“GOOD NEWS” watermedia/collage painting, 18.5X13.5 inches, 
matted and framed to 25.5X20.5 inches, in a distressed simple silver frame: 
$750.00
A LITTLE JOURNEY” acrylics on archival paper 8X8 inches, framed in gold plein-air frame 13X13 inches (sold)

Abstract image of leaf-like shapes with grid separations established by collage, subtle blues, grays and lavender colors
“MERCY BALANCE”  watermedia/collage, 21×18 inches, matted and framed to 28X25 inches  in an antiqued silver frame: $600.00
Floral melange, predominantly red and yellow, with collaged musical score and thin strips of paper collaged.
“GARDEN SONG” watermedia/collage, 18×12 inches, matted and framed to 26X20 inches in an antiqued silver frame, (sold)

“THE CLIFF GIFTS SERIES: WESTERN OFFERING” 12X24X2 inches, on a cradled panel, watermedia/collage, (sold)

New Every Spring is a watermedia/collage painting depicting bright red poppies and yellow tulips amid subtle text and garden foliage.
“NEW EVERY SPRING” 22×15 inches, white matting, gold leaf frame 28X21 inches,  (sold)
Tiny painting(4X4 inches) of poppies in various stages of development, with buds and leaves.
“FOR THIS DAY” 4×4 inches on archival board, double matted in white matboard, 8X8 inches. (sold)
This tiny painting is lush with vibrant red and yellow flowers (abstract but mostly tulip-like) with varied green stems & leaves in background
“FLORAL POETRY” 4×4 inches, acrylics on an archival board, double matted, gold leaf plein air frame (14X14 overall dimension) (sold)
This is a tiny painting (4X4") of aspen-like trees with a narrow stream below them and abstract landscape below
“STILL WATERS” 4×4 inches, acrylics on an archival board, double matted and framed in a gold leaf plein air frame, 14X14 inches overall dimension: (sold)
This painting had dynamic contrasts of color with a bright yelllow sunflower and two rosy red florals, with collage and abstracted leaf patterns in the background
“NEARER” 24x12x2 inches, on a cradled panel, watermedia/collage, (sold)
This tiny painting depicts bright red and yellow garden flowers with a figure clad in yellow matching the yellow flowers.
“GARDENER” 4X4inches, acrylics on archival illustration board, double matted, gold leaf plein air frame, (16X16 overall) (sold)
Sacred Land

SACRED LAND
watermedia/collage, 10X10 on archival illustration board,
(sold)

Flourish Like Flowers
“FLOURISH LIKE FLOWERS” watermedia/collage on paper, 21X14 inches, simple matting, gold leaf frame, 29X22 inches (sold)
Enduring Realms
“ENDURING REALMS” acrylics on paper, 21X14 inches, simple antiqued gold leaf frame, 29X22 inches, $800.00
Know Peace

KNOW PEACE
watermedia/collage on paper, 13.5X11 , $400 (unframed)

The Earth Is Full

THE EARTH IS FULL
watermedia on paper, 14X14 inches   sold

Glory Song

GLORY SONG
acrylics on paper, 23X10.5 inches, neutral matting,
plain gold leaf frame 32X19 inches, (sold)

Canyon Poetry

CANYON POETRY
watermedia/collage on cradled panel, 20X12 inches (sold)

Shepherd Canyon

SHEPHERD CANYON
watermedia/collage on paper, 21X15 inches
neutral matting, simple mahogany frame: 28X23 inches, (sold)

Revere The Glory

REVERE THE GLORY
watermedia on paper, 15X10 inches
(neutral matting, simple gold leaf frame 22X17 inches: sold

It's Been Awhile

IT’S BEEN AWHILE
watermedia/collage, 20X10X2 inches on a cradled panel
,(sold)

All Joy Counted

ALL JOY COUNTED
watermedia/collage on a cradled panel 20X10X0.5 inches, (sold)

Lean On Me

LEAN ON ME
watermedia/collage on a cradled panel, 20X10X2 inches,  (sold)

Potential


POTENTIAL
watermedia/collage on a cradled panel, 20X10X2 inches
, $400.00

The Day Sings

THE DAY SINGS
watermedia/collage on a cradled panel, 20X10X2 inches
, (sold)

The following paintings are actually miniatures, 4X4 inches, acrylic paintings on illustration board. They are the start of a series I’m calling “Holy Flamboyance.” These  are framed with wide mats in gold leaf plein air frames. The outer dimension of the frames are 14X14 inches. $125.00 each

Holy Flamboyance Series - Honor

HONOR

Holy Flamboyance - Grace

GRACE (sold)

Holy Flamboyance - Glory

GLORY (sold)

Holy Flamboyance-Reach

REACH (sold)

Holy Flamboyance-Loyalty


LOYALTY
(“Loyalty” 5X5 inches, just a bit larger than others in this series)sold

Tweet Talk

TWEET TALK
watermedia/collage,(36X24 simple gold leaf frame) sold

Gathering

FAMILY GATHERING
(acrylics on gallery-wrap canvas, 11X14 inches)sold

Coming Full Circle

“COMING FULL CIRCLE”
(acrylics on paper, 15X11 inches, neutral matting, framed in simple mahogany frame: 22X18 inches) sold

Deep Teeming

DEEP TEEMING
watermedia/collage; 14.5X10.5 X 2 inches, $300.00

Desert Grace II

DESERT GRACE
(watercolor, 14X10 inches, matted 21X17 inches,
unframed) sold

Rooted and Grounded

ROOTED AND GROUNDED
(acrylic on paper, 14X11 inches) sold

Here Is The Man, 3


HERE IS THE MAN
(watermedia collage, 22X15 inches)
(sold)

Nest By The Waters
NEST BY THE WATERS, watermedia/collage, 12X12 X2 inches (sold)
In Toward Silence


IN TOWARD SILENCE
watermedia/collage, 12X12X2 inches sold

For This Cause, corrected

FOR THIS CAUSE
watermedia/collage painting, 22X15 inches, on Fabriano paper (sold)

Be Long Remembered, cropped

                                                      BE LONG REMEMBERED
watermedia collage on a cradled panel, 12X12X2 inches, sold

Consider The Poppies

CONSIDER THE POPPIES
acrylics on a cradled panel, 16X16X2 inches
(sold)

Flower Box-Geraniums
Flower Boxd-Iris
Flower Box-Calla Lily

The next five images make up the FLOWER BOX SERIES. These are tiny paintings,  (acrylics on gallery wrap canvas, 5X4X1.5 inches),  expressions of welcome to spring and summer. (sold)

Flower Box-Cosmos
Flower Box-Sunflowers
He loves me...

HE LOVES ME…
acrylics on paper, 16X16 inches (sold)

As Far As The West

AS FAR AS THE WEST
acrylics & collage on a cradled panel
35X45X2 inches (sold)

Nest Series-Fertile Spring

NEST SERIES: FERTILE SPRING
acrylic, 24x12x2 on a cradled panel (sold)

Westerm Crevice

WESTERN CREVICE
22×15 inches, watermedia/collage painting on300lb. Fabriano watercolor paper (sold)

Nest Series-Waiting

THE ENVELOPE SERIES: WAITING
21×12 inches, acrylic painting on 300 lb. Fabriano watercolor paper

Communicants


COMMUNICANTS
21X14 inches, acrylic painting on 300 lb Fabriano watercolor paper 
(sold)

The Next Series: Keeping Watch

The Nest Series: Keeping Watch
16X12X2 inches, watermedia on cradled panel
(sold)

Window Series: Taos Window


Window Series: Taos Window
15X15 inches, watermedia on paper(sold)

Window Series: Finestra

Window Series: Finestra
15X15 inches, watermedia on paper
(sold)

Window Series-Blue Window

Window Series: Blue Window
15X15 inches, watermedia/collage on paper (sold)

Window Series-Lone Window

Window Series: Neighborhood Light
15X15 inches, watermedia on paper framed in a floater frame,
15 1/2 X15X2, $400.00

Window Series-Geranium Rise

Window Series: Geranium Rise
12X12X2 inches watermedia/collage on a cradled panel 
(sold)

Geraniuim Joy

Geranium Joy
12X12X2 inches, watermedia/collage on a cradled panel (sold)

Nest Times Nine

                                       Nest Series: Nest Times Nine
watermedia/collage on a cradled panel, 18X18X2 inches(sold)

Nest Series: Change

Nest Series: Change
watermedia/
collage on a
cradled panel
10x10x2

Nest Series: Currents

Nest Series: Currents
watermedia/collage on a cradled panel, 10X10X2 inches (sold)

Nest Series: Source

Nest Series: Source watermedia/collage on a cradled panel, 10X10X2 inches

Library Bird

THE ENVELOPE SERIES: LIBRARY BIRD
watermedia/collage on a cradled panel, 12x12x2 inches.
(sold)

Cliff Gifts Series: Shelf Canyon by Helen Gwinn

Cliff Gifts Series: Shelf Canyon
watermedia/collage, matted and framed in a simple
mahogany frame, 22 x 29 inches    (sold)

Desert Royalty by Helen Gwinn

Coreopsis Notes
watermedia/collage on a cradled panel,12x12x2 inches. (sold)

Let's Talk

Let’s Talk
watermedia on paper, matted and framed in a simple
mahogany frame, 30×23 inches (sold)

4 thoughts on “Paintings”

  1. Hi Helen! We miss you and Jen so much! So glad to see you are doing fantastic and continuing your week with Jeni. Please tell her we said hello and miss her. We will be at Weems next week and you will be on our minds. Take good care! Love you, KT & Marc

  2. Helen
    I purchased your paintings at the Weems gallery and they have greatly contributed to the beauty of my home in Austin. I have the paintings “enduring melody “and “spring song” and they speak to me a message of hope and comfort when starting over. Thank you.

  3. Helen, I am going to the CHS reunion this weekend. I hope you and Allen are coming also. I would welcome an opportunity to come to your gallery

    1. Hi Carole: I’m glad you are coming for the class reunion. I am recovering from recent heart surgery and unable to attend or receive guests. Allen, in good health, is here with me. You can see some of my artworks, notecards, etc. at The Artist Gallery downtown, 120 South Canyon (the old Collin Geralds building).I’m getting stronger each day, praise God.
      Best wishes to all, Helen

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