About me

james helms
james at jameshelmsad.com

b. 1973, USA



I’m fascinated by the poetry of pigment and water.  Water. Ink. Color. Paper. Time. Entropy. Unpredictable, biological, accidental. I am inspired by the ways water, pigment and paper combine to create ethereal compositions.

I carefully apply color and ink, coax them to mingle and spread, then leave them to their own natural devices. I create definition from the resulting compositions with lacy structures and patterns inspired by nature, physiology and biology. These works straddle the objective and abstract, the tangible and incorporeal.
Untitled, India Ink on paper, 9x12, 2018


Birch, fissures, schist, India Ink on paper, 9x12, 2018


Calligraphy, water color and ink on paper, 5x8, 2018


Embryo, watercolor and ink on paper, 18x24, 2018


Iris Orbit, Watercolor and ink on paper, 5x8, 2018


I see it too, watercolor and ink on paper, 5x8, 2018


Orifi 1/2, watercolor and ink on paper, 5x8, 2018


Orifi 2/2, watercolor and ink on paper, 5x8, 2018


Three stars, watercolor and ink on paper, 5x8, 2018


Untitled, watercolor and ink on paper, 5x8, 2018


Untitled, watercolor and ink on paper, 5x8, 2018