Bold brushstrokes that capture movement and light are the hallmark of Angela Tommaso Hellman’s expressive floral portraits. Enjoy more of this artist’s work by exploring her website.
Relationships and beauty—that is what comes to mind when I think of my journey of becoming an artist and also what is expressed through my work. My family has always been very supportive and encouraged creativity in our home while I was growing up. There was a deep respect for the arts in general, including music, theater, and of course visual arts!
It became a vehicle to bond with one another, sharing our tastes, opinions and even enjoying the time when my dad drove me to adult painting classes as a young teen. I gleaned many things through the relationships with great art teachers, fellow students, and the unique people who love and appreciate art.
I see many other types of relationships everywhere—between shapes, nuances of color, various textures side by side, shadows and light.
There’s something captivating between these connections that inspires me to paint them. It’s not simply a flower, fruit or any subject for that matter, but elements that relate and excite the senses when developed with paint on canvas.
Though I paint many different subjects, I enjoy painting flowers because they not only are beautiful to begin with, but they also remind me of relationships between people.
They can show love, extend comfort, welcome a neighbor, cheer the soul, heal a rift and much more.
One day when I was little, I was exploring the woody area behind my house. As I turned a corner, I came upon a single giant sunflower. Being no older than five, the flower was just at my eye level! My jaw dropped, as I had never seen anything like that and didn’t know that flowers grew that big!
That was a feeling I can never forget—being overwhelmed by the greatness of this discovered treasure. I try to paint from that place, expressing my excitement for simple beautiful things with bold brushstrokes, emotion and movement.
Opportunities for new relationships continually develop through my art as I connect with patrons and art lovers. I love talking to people, learning about their lives and hearing how my work resonates with them, “Oh, yellow roses, that reminds me of…” or even “…my dad used to take us apple picking every year…”
My hope is that others can experience joy and beauty through my art in their hearts and homes as much as it brings me joy to create it.
Artist Angela Tommaso Hellman invites you to follow her on Facebook and to follow her newsletter.
Angela,
These paintings exhibit exquisite composition as well as color relationships. Brava!
Elaine Franz Witten