Helen Gwinn considers herself a native New Mexican although she was born in Texas. She attended public schools in Carlsbad. During her college years and early adulthood, she lived in various places before returning to New Mexico. Gwinn’s artworks, representational and semi abstract, expressed in mixed media, collage and clay reflect her life, including her love for the desert where she lives, communication, new life, ancient cliffs and poignant flowers. They have been exhibited and won awards in regional, national and international shows, including THE FLORENCE BIENNALE (in Florence, Italy), THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ART (in New York City) and THE NEW MEXICO MUSEUM OF FINE ART (in Santa Fe) as well as in the NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR’S GALLERY. Gwinn was instrumental in the development of children’s art classes at THE CARLSBAD MUSEUM under the supervision of CITY SPIRIT, funded by the NEW MEXICO ARTS DIVISION. She has taught private art lessons to children and adults for many years in her own studio, THE PUZZLETREE. Her works have been exhibited and sold in retail galleries throughout the U.S. A long time member and past president of CARLSBAD AREA ART ASSOCIATION, Gwinn was one of the initial members selected into THE ARTIST GALLERY, a cooperative gallery operating under the umbrella of CARLSBAD AREA ART ASSOCIATION. She has supported and served the gallery in varied positions including several seasons as the director. When the building, leased by the gallery, was offered for sale, Gwinn led a campaign to purchase it. Through her influence a community art patron issued a challenge to donate $75,000.00 toward the purchase if CARLSBAD AREA ART ASSOCIATION would match the amount. Gwinn’s initial donation led the effort and within a short time, the building was purchased. At the turn of the century, Gwinn painted two life-size replicas of a quarterhorse for THE TRAIL OF PAINTED PONIES, a public art project to focus tourism on the numerous and varied creative artists in New Mexico. Her ROCKING HORSE is now in a private collection in Chicago and BARNYARD PONY, originally owned by the Honorable Representative Robert Light, is now part of the permanent collection of the CARLSBAD MUSEUM. In 2005 Gwinn received the prestigious A.J. CRAWFORD ARTS AND HUMANITIES AWARD from the CARLSBAD FOUNDATION. The award honored her contributions in Carlsbad and the superb ways she has been an ambassador of the arts in the community, in New Mexico, the United States and internationally. Gwinn’s works have been the subject of articles in watercolor magazines and in THE NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE; they have been included in numerous art books, invitational shows and shown in solo exhibits. She is an instructor, guest lecturer and juror of fine art exhibits.
Professional Background:
Education: Texas Tech University, B.A. University of Houston, graduate work Post-Baccalaureate Studies: La Romita School of Art-Terni, Italy, Texas Tech University University of Texas at El Paso, University of Houston, Numerous seminars and workshops with noted instructors
Instructor and Guest Lecturer:
La Romita School of Art, Terni, Italy, 1998-2007
Watermedia workshops: In US and Europe
Private art lessons,1990-2000
International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX, 1992-93
Fiber Arts Workshop, Zia Quilt and Stitchery Guild, 1989, 1992-93
Intermountain Weavers Conference, Colorado Springs, CO 1991
New Mexico Art Educators Association, Ruidoso, NM, 1984
Seminar on Printmaking for Art Teachers,” New Mexico State University, 1983
Who’s Who of American Women
Judge & Juror: many locations 1995-present
Selected Exhibitions:
LHUCA Museum, Invitational, Lubbock, TX, 2022
ART>70, Taranaka, New Zealand, 2021
Arizona Aqueous XXVIII, 2014
The Florence Biennale, Florence, Italy December, 2005
International Watermedia XIV, Univ. of Colorado, 2005
Federazione Italiana Donne-Arti-Professioni-Affari Terni, Italy, 2005
Arizona Aqueous XX, Tubac, AZ, 2005
First Frontier Collage 6th Annual International, Austin, TX 2005
SoQ, Contemporary Art in Southern NM, NM Museum of Fine Art, Santa Fe, 2004
Western Federation of Watercolor Societies 29th Annual, Irving Arts Center, Dallas, TX 2004
Washington Watercolor Society, Richland, WA 2003
International Society of Experimental Artists, Houston, TX 2003
Boots To Berets, Paris, TX 2003
Palazzo Gazzoli, Vecchio mondo visto dal nuovo, Terni, Italy, 2002
International Society of Experimental Artists, Ball State University, Muncie, IN
28th Annual Exhibition of National Watercolor Oklahoma, Kirkpatrick Galleries at Omniplex, Oklahoma City, OK, 2002
Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, 27th Annual Exhibit, Albuquerque Museum of Fine Art, 2002
First Frontier Collage Society, Austin TX 2001
Trail of the Painted Ponies, NM, 2001
Governors Gallery,NM Museumof Fine Art, 2001
Jurors Exhibit, NMArts & Crafts Fair, 2001
Bunkhouse Gallery, Cypress Mill TX, 2001
175th Annual Exhibition, National Academy of Design, NY, NY, 2000
WAS-H, 23rd Intern’tl Exhibit, Houston,TX 2000
NM Watercolors, Mill Atelier, Santa Fe, 2000
Taos National Exh.of American Watercolors, Van Vechten Lineberry Museum, 1998, 2000
B.E.A.C.H. Art Auction & Gala, Spencer Theatre, Ruidoso, NM, 1999
Art In The Woods, Overland Park Arts Commission, Overland Park, KS, 1999
1999 Masterworks of New Mexico Exhibition NMWS, Albuquerque, NM
Arizona Aqueous National Exhibition, Tubac Center For The Arts, AZ, 1998, award; 2000
49th Annual Texas Watercolor Society National Exh, Hill Country Arts Foundation, 1998,award
“Earth Lyrics” Pecos River Artists, Breckenridge Fine Art Center, Breckenridge, TX, 1997
Weems Artfest, Albuquerque, NM 1989-2011
Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Exhibition, Tucson Museum of Fine Art, 1997
“Pecos Valley Potters Guild Show,” Roswell Museum, Roswell, NM 1993-2000
“Signature I-VI juried exhibitions , West Texas Watercolor Society, Texas Tech University Museum, Lubbock, TX 1992-1997
The Pecos River Artists’ annual exhibit 1991-2006
New Mexico Watercolor Society, juried exhibits, 1989-2000, award
Fall American Art Show, Museum of the Horse, Ruidoso, NM, 1996
Kansas Waterolor Society 7 State Exhibition, Wichita Art Museum, 1996
