As an oil painter, I pursue a path of genre painting that translates observed reality into a felt, sensory experience. Whether working with figures or the open landscape, I seek to capture the stillness and contemplation found in the quiet, often overlooked moments of daily life. By utilizing "off-kilter" vantage points and an intentional play with color harmony, I address the healing power of beauty while holding nostalgia at a distance. My work aims to create a sense of presence, as if a fleeting glance has been suspended in time.
My recent work explores the environment as a container for emotion and memory, moving through varied terrains—from expansive snow scenes and rugged mountains to tidal marshes and river views. I often introduce figures or wildlife as "actors" within these spaces, capturing a sense of peace and joy through the intersection of natural patterns and heightened color. Using painterly brushstrokes, I prioritize the atmospheric quality and rhythmic composition of a place over a literal depiction. This approach mirrors the way we recall our most vibrant experiences—layering the light and energy of a memory over the enduring silence of the natural world.
Curriculum Vitae
Helen Cardamone
6/17/2025
Education
2023 MFA, The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2023 Barnes-de Mazia Certificate Program, 14-week long program
2022 The Rome Workshops 6-Week Long Painting Program
2021 Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Continuing Education
2017 BA in Fine Arts, minor in Entrepreneurship, Wake Forest University,
Winston-Salem, NC
Teaching
2024-present Middle/Upper/AP Art Teacher, Pinewood Prep School, Summerville, SC
2023-24 Resident Teaching Artist with ArtistYear, Philadelphia, PA
2023 Graduate Teaching Assistant in ‘Life Painting’, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine
Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2022 Graduate Teaching Assistant in ‘Wet/Dry Media’, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine
Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2022 Graduate Teaching Assistant in ‘Structure and Form Figure Drawing’, Pennsylvania
Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2021-22 Youth and Family Program Team Member and Educator, Pennsylvania Academy of
the Fine Arts Museum, Philadelphia, PA
2020 Tutor, Cambridge School Volunteers, Inc, Cambridge, MA
Awards/Projects
2021 Artistic Excellence Scholarship, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
2021 People’s Choice, Thousand Islands Art Center, Clayton, NY
2021 Juror’s Choice, Thousand Islands Art Center, Clayton, NY
2021 Self-Published a Children’s Book, “A St. Lawrence Summer”
Group Exhibitions
2025 Along the River's Edge, Thousand Islands Art Center, Clayton, NY
2024 Along the River's Edge, Thousand Islands Art Center, Clayton, NY
2023 Woman: Thunder and Strength, Tisa Gallery, Clayton, NY
2023 Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2023 Anything Goes, Anne Bryan Gallery, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2022 215 610 Contemporary Art Exhibition, Delaware County Community College, Media,
PA, Juror: Alex Klein
2022 Size Matters In Art, Anne Bryan Gallery, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia,
PA
2022 Blue, Gallery 8, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2022 Along the River’s Edge, Thousand Islands Art Center, Clayton, NY
2021 Along the River’s Edge, Thousand Islands Art Center, Clayton, NY
2020 Along the River’s Edge, Thousand Islands Art Center, Clayton, NY
Publications/Press
Brock, Chris. “Winners Announced at 'along the Rivers Edge' Exhibit and Sale.” NNY360, 24 June
Loew, Marina. “And the Winners Are...” Thousand Islands Arts Center, 17 May 2022,
www.tiartscenter.org/and-the-winners-are/.
Rebel, Canvas. "Meet Helen Cardamone", May 2024,
https://canvasrebel.com/meet-helen-cardamone/
Smith, Susan. “Book Review: A St. Lawrence Summer, by Helen Cardamone.”
ThousandIslandsLife.com, Oct. 2021,
https://thousandislandslife.com/book-review-a-st-lawrence-summer-by-helen-caradmone/
Exhibitions Juried/Co-Curated
2022 “Size Matters…In Art”, Anne Bryan Gallery, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts,
Philadelphia, PA
Artist Talks
2023 Thesis Symposium, "My Gaze and the Female Gaze", Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts,
Philadelphia, PA