Born in Chicago, Illinois, in March of 1947, Cantrell moved to New York City in 1968, and has lived along the Northeast coast for the past 48 years, currently in Old Lyme, CT.  Cantrell was elected an artist member of the Silvermine Guild of Artists in 1998, when she retired from work as a typographer in NYC.  She has been painting and making prints full time for the past 17 years, most recently large-scale woodcuts and landscape paintings in an expressionist gestural style.  An indelible early inspiration was Richard Diebenkorn and the Bay Area expressionist realist painters. 

EDUCATION:

 

2013, 2012:   Crown Point Press, San Francisco: Week-long intensive workshop in copperplate etching and aquatint techniques, June 2012 and June 2013.

 

2003-2004:    Diploma, Studio Arts, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA. Focus on printmaking.

 

1998-2015:    Advanced printmaking courses include study with Vijay Kumar at Manhattan Graphics Center, NYC and Center for Contemporary Printmaking, CT; Barbara Harder at New Haven Creative Arts Workshop; and work/study with master printer James Reed as printer’s assistant at Norwalk Graphic Arts Center (now Center for Contemporary Printmaking), CT.

 

1969-1974:   Art Students League, NYC, painting classes with Will Barnet, awarded tuition scholarship by Raphael Soyer.

 

1966-1968:    Washington University School of Fine Arts, St. Louis, MO, major in painting.

SELECTED ONE-PERSON EXHIBITIONS: 

 

2014:        As co-partner with Judy Friday in gallery19, Essex, CT, had several one-person shows.

 

2013:        “Expressionist Landscapes,” H. Pelham Curtis Gallery, New Canaan Library, New Canaan, CT.

 

2012:        “Modernists of Old Lyme” (with Judy Friday), Sandra Morgan Home, Greenwich, CT.

2011:        “New Paintings,” Nylen Gallery, Westport, CT. Curated by Wendy Nylen.

2009:        “Helen Cantrell: Paintings,” John W. Meagher Rotunda Gallery, Jersey City, NJ. Curated by Greg Brickey, Director, Jersey City Division of Cultural Affairs.

 

2004:        “Hey Suburbia,” Southport Harbor Gallery, Southport, CT. 

 

2002:        “The Spirit of Spring,” Southport Harbor Gallery, Southport, CT.

2001:        “Bordering on Abstraction,” (2-person show).Flinn Gallery, Greenwich, CT.

“Color Landscapes,” Silvermine Guild of Artists, New Canaan, CT. 

“Recent Paintings and Prints,” Good News Café, Woodbury, CT.

 

2000:        “Expressionist Landscapes,” Paul Mellon Arts Center, Choate Rosemary Hall, CT. Curator: John Faulkner, Gallery Director.

                   “Dazzling Discoveries,” Southport Harbor Gallery.

“The Expressionist Landscape,” The Landmark at Eastview, Tarrytown, NY. Curator: Wendy Kelley.

 

1999:        “Shorelines,” Picture This of Westport, CT. Curator: Wendy Nylen.

1998:        “Northeast Corridor,” paintings and prints, Art Cellar, Clinton, CT. Curator: Kathleen Fahey.

1997:        “Sound Views,” Picture This of Westport, Westport, CT. August. Curator: Wendy Nylen.

 

1996:        “Suburbia,” Long Island University, Paramount Gallery, NYC. Curator: Nancy Grove, Gallery Director. 

 

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

2017:        “Mixmaster," Mattatuck Museum juried members exhibit. Juror Meg White, Gallery NAGA.

                   “Pulled and Pressed," invitational show of original prints, Lyme Art Association. I was also the juror
                    for this show.

2016:        “Stand Out Prints 2016," Highpoint Center for Printmaking. Received Juror's award. Juror Elizabeth Wycoff, print curator, Saint Louis Museum of Art.

2015:        “20th Anniversary Retrospective: Highlights from the Past 20 Years,” Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT.

                    “Local Color,” Cooley Gallery, Old Lyme, CT. 

“Boston Printmakers 2015 Biennial,” Lesley University, Cambridge, MA. Juror: Willie Cole.

“Once: Monotype Guild of New England Juried Members’ Exhibition,” Brickbottom Gallery, Cambridge, MA, Juror: Scott Schnepf. 

“Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts 104^th Exhibit,” Mystic, CT.

 “Nor'easter,” New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, CT. 

“Kindred,” Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT. 

2014:        “Uncommon Ground,” Printmakers of the New Haven Creative Arts Workshop, Willoughby Library, Stony Creek, CT. Curated by Barbara Harder.
“70^th Annual Connecticut Artists Exhibition,” The Slater Museum, Norwich, CT.

                   “40 Degrees 42’N/37 Degrees 48’S”, New York Society of Etchers, join exhibition of intaglio prints by New York and Melbourne, Australia artists, the National Arts Club, NYC.

“Art of the Northeast,” Silvermine Arts Center, New Canaan, CT. Curated by Andrew Russeth, Art Critic: New York Observer. 

 

2013:        “In the Layers,” works on paper, Silvermine Arts Center, New Canaan, CT. Curated by Suzanne Julig, NYC art advisor.

“69^th Annual Connecticut Artists Exhibition,” The Slater Museum, Norwich, CT. Jurors: Betsey and Jeff Cooley, The Cooley Gallery. Awarded “honorable mention – painting.”

“The Human Touch: Five Printmakers,” Silvermine Arts Center, New Canaan, CT.

“At Our Best: Connecticut Artists from 1850 – 2013,” The Cooley Gallery, Old Lyme, CT.

 

2012:        “Collective Vision,” Silvermine Guild of Artists, New Canaan, CT. Juror: Cynthia Roznoy, Mattatuck Museum. 

Manhattan Graphics Center, Juried Print Show. Juror: Stephen A. Fredericks, NY Society of Etchers, New York, NY. 

Alexey von Schlippe Gallery of Art (4-person show), University of Connecticut, Groton, CT. Curated by Julia Pavone, gallery director.

“Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts 101st Exhibition,” Mystic Art Center, CT. Juror: Patricia Hickson, curator of Contemporary Art, Wadsworth Athenaeum. 

 “90^th Anniversary Group Show,” Silvermine Guild of Artists, New Canaan, CT.

“Second National Intaglio Print Show,” NY Society of Etchers, New York, NY. Juror; David Kiehl, print curator, Whitney Museum of American Art.

 

2011:        “Water, Water Everywhere,” (4-person show) Bridgeport Arts & Cultural Council, Bridgeport, CT. Curated by Laura G. Einstein.

“Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts 100th Exhibition,” Mystic Art Center, CT. Jurors: Joy M. Pepe, Anne von Stuelpnagel, Director of Exhibitions, Bruce Museum.

“Poser,” Guilford Art Center juried show, Mill Gallery, Guilford, CT.

“55^th Regional Juried Art Show,” Mystic Arts Center, CT, Honorable Mention. Juror: Don Woodford.

 “Bridgeport Prints,” Bridgeport Arts & Cultural Council. Curated by James Reed, master printer, Milestone Graphics, Bridgeport, CT. 

"Art of the Northeast," Silvermine Arts Center. Juror: Tom Eccles, Executive Director, Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College. 

“Homegrown,” Akus Gallery, Eastern Connecticut State U., Willimantic, CT.

 

2010:        “A Contemporary View,” Lyme Art Association Invitational (4-person show), Old Lyme, CT. Curated by Susan Ballek, LAA Director. 

2008:        “Local Color” (3-person show), Central Gallery, Old Saybrook, CT. Curated by Pam Gordinier and Hillary Seltzer.

“Sprawl: Urban Overbuilding,” New Jersey state-wide exhibition, Arts Guild of Rahway. Curated by Lawrence Capiello.

“Nylen Gallery Inaugural Exhibition,” Nylen Gallery, Westport, CT. Curated by Wendy Nylen.

2007:        “Fantastic Form: The Art of Comics and Graphic Novels,” Perth Amboy Gallery Center for the Arts, Perth Amboy, NJ. Curated by Raul Villareal. 

2006:        “Identity,” Hudson County Arts Annual, Jersey City, NJ, curated by France Garrido & Kathryn Klanderman. 

                   “Works on Paper National Juried Show” Long Beach Island Foundation for the Arts and Sciences, Loveladies, NJ.

“Echoes of China: Boston Printmakers in China,” Brickbottom Gallery, Somerville, MA. Curated by Boston Printmakers.

“50th Annual National Juried Print Exhibition,” Hunterdon Museum of Art, Clinton, NJ. Juror: Judith K. Brodsky, Rutgers Center for Innovative Print and Paper. 

 

2005:        “Boston Printmakers in China,” Hangzhou Central Art Academy, Hangzhou, China. 

 

2003:        “North American Print Biennial,” Boston Printmakers, Boston University, Juror: Clifford S. Ackley, Chair, Dept. of Prints, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. 

                   “New Members Show,” Copley Society, Boston, MA.

                   “15th Annual Members Juried Show,” Newport Art Museum, Newport, RI. Juror: Judith Tannenbaum, curator, RISD Museum of Art. 

 

2001:        “Temporal Reflections,” Grimshaw-Gudewicz Art Gallery, Bristol Community College, Fall River, MA.  (4-person show, review).

 

2000:        “Works on Paper,” National Juried Exhibition. South Shore Art Center, Cohasset, MA. Juror: Howardena Pindell.

“Paperworks,” CT GraphicArts Center, Norwalk, CT. Juror: Harry Philbrick, Director, Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art. 

“Art of the Northeast,” Silvermine Arts Center, CT. Juror: George King, Director, Georgia O’Keefe Museum. 

National Small Works Open Juried Show, Canton, CT. Juror: Judy Kim, Wadsworth Athenaeum. 

New Haven Paint & Clay Club, 99th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, New Haven, CT. 

Full Circle Gallery, Providence, RI (3-person show, review). 

1999:        Alexey von Schlippe Gallery of Art (4-person show), UConn, Groton, CT. Curated by Julia Pavone.

“Artists of the Second District,” Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, NYC.

“Faber Birren National Color Award Show,” University of Connecticut, Stamford, CT. Juror: Susan Cross, Guggenheim Museum. 

“Connecticut Landscapes,” The University Gallery, University of Bridgeport, CT.

“Women of Litchfield,” Glass Mountain Gallery, Bantam, CT. 

“41st Annual Juried Art Exhibition,” The Discovery Museum, Bridgeport, CT. Juror: Laurene Buckley, Director, New Britain Museum of Art. 

“Spectrum 1999,” Carriage Barn Arts Center, New Canaan, CT. Juror William Zimmer, New York Times. 

New Art Annual ‘99, Stamford Museum. Juror: Cynthia Roznoy, Whitney Museum Stamford.

 

1998:        “Works in Oil” (3-person show), Cannondale Gallery, Wilton, CT. Curated by Debra Browne. 

“Spectrum 1998,” Carriage Barn Arts Center, New Canaan, CT. Juror Peter Rathbone, Sotheby’s.

“Arts Connecticut 1998” The Mill Gallery, Guilford Art Center. Jurors Patricia Rosoff, Art New England, and Steven Sheehan.

“New Members Show,” Silvermine Guild of Artists, New Canaan, CT. 

1997:        “Paperworks ‘97,” Ridgefield Guild of Artists, National Juried Exhibit of Works on Paper. Juror: Nancy Hall Duncan, Bruce Museum.

                  “New Haven Paint & Clay Club 96^th Juried Exhibition,” New Haven, CT. Juror David Lund. 

 

SELECTED AWARDS:

Juror’s award, Highpoint Center for Printmaking. “Stand Out Prints 2016,” juror Elizabeth Wyckoff, Saint Louis Museum of Art.
Juror’s award, Boston Printmakers Biennial 2015, juror: Willie Cole.
Honorable mention, for “Suburbia Black Spring,” Monotype guild of New England show “Once,” 2015. Juror: Scott Schnepf.
Third Prize, Oil Painting, 104^th Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts, for “Three Women Gold Beach,” juror Jacklyn Conley, 2015.

“55^th Regional Juried Art Show,” Mystic Arts Center, CT, Honorable Mention. Juror: Don Woodford. 2011.

Mystic Art Association, Members Show, “Overall Excellence” award, 2011.

Westport Outdoor Arts Festival, Westport, CT. First Prize, Oil Painting, 1999.

“Art of the Northeast,” Silvermine Arts Center, New Canaan, CT. Juror: Allan Stone, Allan Stone Gallery, NYC. Art Supply Warehouse award, 1999.

“Arts Connecticut 1998,” The Mill Gallery, Guilford Handcraft Center, CT. “E&F Shearer Memorial Award” for “Snow Clouds I-95.” Juror: Patricia Rosoff, Art New England.

Greenwich Art Society Members’ Juried Exhibition, Greenwich, CT. First Prize, Oil. Juror Robert Baxter. Feb. 1997.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS/ARTICLES:

“Cutting-Edge Art," Amy Barry, New London Day, 15 January, 2017.

“The Boston Printmakers 2015 North American Biennial,” catalog published by Boston Printmakers, Dec 2015.
“Once: An Exhibition of Unique Prints by Members of the Monotype Guild of New England,” catalog published by MGNE, 2015.

“A Room of Their Own,” Amy Barry, New London Day, 26 November 2013.

“New York Society of Etchers National Show: Presented at the National Arts Club, New York, New   York, April 22-27, 2012,” catalog published by NYSE.

“Beauty of Suburban Landscape: Exhibit at Southport Gallery showcases colorful world of artist         Helen Cantrell,” Phyllis A.S. Boros, Connecticut Post, September 5, 2004.

         “Regional Reviews: Flinn Gallery/Greenwich, Helen Cantrell and Bill Scott, “Bordering on                Abstraction,” Mark Daniel Cohen, Art New England, Feb/March 2002.

         “BCC brings together work of four female artists,” David B. Boyce, The Standard-Times, New               Bedford, MA, December 13, 2001.

         “Focus on Color at Silvermine Excavates Intellectual Treasure,” L.P. Streitfeld, Stamford Advocate,      CT, July 8, 2001.

         “For bold, solid painting, find your way to Full Circle,” Channing Gray, Providence Journal, RI,             Feb 24-27, 2000.

         “At Silvermine, a Single Judge’s Choices for Art of the Northeast,” William Zimmer, The New York

                Times, June 6, 1999.

         “Artist’s scenes seen from a moving car,” Judy Birke, New Haven Register, September 6, 1998.

 

SELECTED PERMANENT COLLECTIONS:

Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT.

Pfizer, Inc., New London, CT.

New York Public Library (James Reed portfolio).

School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA.

The Slater Museum, Norwich, CT.

 

ARTIST MEMBERSHIPS:

Boston Printmakers, Cambridge, MA.

Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT.

Silvermine Guild of Artists, New Canaan, CT.

 

updated: June 2017