Gimli Art Club

MARLENE VAN HELDEN ... BIOGRAPHY AND PERSONAL PROFILE.

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Marlene (Dutka) Van Helden
Gimli, Manitoba

Profile

I arrived on the shores of Lake Winnipeg in September of Year 2000, just in time for one of my ‘milestone’ birthdays.  Although I was born/raised in the Selkirk area, I chose to move to Gimli for several important reasons. One - Gimli is located on beautiful Lake Winnipeg which is a constant inspiration for those with artful interests.  Two - Gimli was known for its talented collection of artists and the active, vibrant Gimli Art Club.  I knew this type of support would be important for on-going motivation and courage to build a life as an ‘aspiring’ artist.  Over the past 8 years, Gimli has proven to be a peaceful and creative place for me.   My favorite season is now Winter when I can ‘hear a pin drop’ while painting, working with clay or designing stained glass for clients’ homes.  I look forward to the day when I can work at art on a full-time basis.

I’ve always been interested in the creative side of life.  As a child, I used to mold items from crayons melted in the sun.  I spent hours drawing and painting and wishing I knew how to do it right.  Later, when I could afford it, I attended classes with a wide variety of skilled artists including those at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. 

As my journey toward competence continues, I find myself challenged by ‘too many’ art interests.  I have worked with watercolour and mixed-media painting, stained glass which I learned at the early age of 23, fused glass as well as sculpting with clay and the challenges of glazing.  I have also taken on collage and fibre projects and worked with willow to build furniture items.  Creating art has been very interesting, but without a specific focus on any one prime medium.  I now consider myself a ‘joyfully’ unorganized, non-linear learner who works from the ‘gut’ while creating items that others may find interesting.   I don’t consider myself an artist, but rather a somewhat-skilled, low-flying adventurer who needs to live a creative life.    

This is my first time as a Featured Artist at the Gimli Art Club as well as on the Club’s website.  Therefore, I’ve attempted to display a variety of pieces including those now in private collections and some that still ‘require some work’.

I am grateful to the members of this Art Club for taking me under their wings and generously sharing their talents and tips to help me grow and develop.  That is the way it works around here as the Interlake is a great breeding ground for people with creative yearnings.

For more information about my work (or workshops I am developing), I can be reached at:  204-642-9597.  Thank you and have a wonderful day!

                                                                                    Marlene (Dutka) Van Helden
                                                                                    Creative adventurer and writer

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