Helen McLuckie

Helen McLuckie recalls, "As a child, I was painfully shy. One day, while sitting on a hardwood floor, I was given a piece of paper and a box of crayons. Oh, those beautiful colors, then one slipped off the paper. Oooh, the warm glow of the sun hitting the grain of the oak: I was exploring, creating, expressing limitlessly. Later the artwork was discovered and Mom said, 'I know it was you,' while wiping up my expressions. Looking back, my opening that box of beautiful colored crayons was my opening a door to the beginning of my artistic journey."

Raised in Joliet, Illinois, she began her artistic career as a carver and sculptor of wood pieces, achieving considerable success in that medium with several “Best of Show” and First Place awards.

Helen developed an interest in painting about 12 years ago, studying with several noted teachers in Illinois, and ultimately settling on oil pastels as her medium of choice. As with her wood pieces, she has racked up a long list of awards for exhibits and juried shows both in Illinois and nationally.

After retiring from a career as a medical practice administrator, she moved with her husband to Sedona in 2014. She appreciates Sedona's climate, scenery, and community of artists, finding it to be the ideal place to paint the subjects she loves, including landscapes, abstracts, and florals.