‘All things natural’ inspire Hinsdale artist

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Richard Berger, Linda Shaughnessy, Brooksie Roberts, Christie Helm, Matt Helm, Kathy Helm, Larry Helm and Carol McGary with Christie Helm's artwork.

Updated: November 24, 2011 2:59AM

Walk through the Coalition Gallery in Chicago, and you’ll experience the nature-themed works of Christie Helm of Hinsdale, Adrienne Pike of Ottawa and Connie Wolfe of Chicago.

The show is “Trail Mix: Navigating the Visual Tradition of Nature,” and continues through July 5.

Helm, Pike and Wolfe are all members of this year’s gallery, who are showing work at the Coalition Gallery, a cooperative gallery of the Chicago Artists’ Coalition. Each year, the Coalition juries 14 member artists into the gallery for shows during a one-year period.

“Trail Mix” is a perfect fit for Helm’s work, which often reflects natural elements. The bold, sinuous brushstrokes of her work in this show make a direct reference to fluid, yet strong patterns of tree bark, while the bright colors suggest the sun and warmth that nurture growing things.

“I am inspired by so many things,” Helm said. “All things natural is a big one — gardens, birds, flowers. I have always been interested in fashion and design too, so I am often inspired by textiles. I love color and the play of color and light. Travel really inspires me because I am constantly seeing new things.”

Helm has been painting since childhood. Though her mother and grandmother, also artists, introduced her to impressionism, however, she found herself much more drawn to abstract art.

“I had this teacher once tell me to look at a chair, and then to stop seeing it as a chair and start seeing it as a color and line,” Helm said. “That really changed the way I looked at the things around me. But my best teacher was, and really still is, a fellow artist. He told me in the midst of a frustrating painting that I could always paint it white. That really set me free as an abstract painter because I let go of any fear of moving forward with the knowledge that I could always go back to where I started.”

Helm will be showing another group of paintings, this time works focused on the theme of time, after “Trail Mix” closes on July 5. The new show opens at the Coalition Gallery on Aug. 19.