Helen Shafer Garcia
Artist's Statement
I think of my works as encounters with mostly organic fragments bound together with a twist that invokes the spirit for an intriguing visual journey. I want to pull in the viewer into my coffee stained world of interpretation that intertwines of legends, flora, fauna and icons. Sometimes there is a bit of humor thrown in.
My process involves the process of transference- subtraction and addition of paint and decayed found objects, creating poetic relationships between organic and geometric shapes. Experimentation with random folklore themes and images juxtaposing with intriguing botanical shapes leads to deliberate sequestered yet unified shape arrangements.
None of this is intentional. My interests in a particular theme or subject seem to evolve on their own based on influential connections that I’ve encountered. I want the impressions to be open for consideration.
Bio
Helen Shafer Garcia is a painter, mixed media, book arts and assemblage artist and award winning illustrator. Helen’s watercolor illustrations have graced the cover brochures, garden articles and advertisements of numerous international resorts and magazines for more than 25 years. Awards include four San Diego Press Club First Place Awards of Excellence in Illustration for San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine. Her works and articles have been published in Southwest Art, Cloth, Paper, Scissors, San Diego Home and Garden Lifestyles, and Studios Magazines. Helen holds a BA degree in Fine Arts and currently teaches college level watercolor and acrylic painting. She is a signature member of San Diego Watercolor Society and teaches watercolor and mixed media workshops internationally and across the US.