Helen Hardin Original Painting of Moon, Flowers, Bees, and Rainbow

The painting features a moon, flower, bees, and rainbow in beautiful pastel shades of turquoise, orange, and yellow. The background is purple applied over an orange base. It was either a spray technique or applied using a roller technique. This is a remarkable painting by famed Santa Clara painter Helen Hardin, done in a style that she truly mastered using architectural drafting tools.

It was created in 1962-on the early side of a life that was unfortunately cut short by cancer. By this point in her career, Hardin had already succeeded at developing a unique style that referenced traditional imagery while incorporating modern ideas of her own invention. Over the decades that have passed since she died, her style has aged quite well, and her work stands in high regard today.

The painting has an interesting history. The Balcomb family had an art gallery in Gallup, New Mexico, in the 1960s, and was a supporter of Pablita Velarde and Helen Hardin. In the fall of 1962, Frances Balcomb featured an exhibit of paintings by this mother/daughter team and both artists were dressed in traditional pueblo clothing. Fortunately, the staff recorded the event in photographs (see below)

Just over Helen's left shoulder in the photograph is the framed painting presented here that she painted when only 19 years old. It was in the Balcomb family following that exhibit until it was sold by Adobe Gallery in 2015 for a daughter of the Balcomb family. It has been returned to us from the client to whom we sold it. We are pleased to have it available to sell again.

This painting is clear evidence that Helen had already developed, early in her career, a unique style bordering on the abstract. She continued in this modernist approach throughout her career. The painting is a wonderful example of Helen's earliest works and is well documented as to date and provenance. It is signed in the lower right with her Tewa name and a spruce tree.

Condition: appears to be in original condition

Provenance: this Helen Hardin Original Painting of Moon, Flowers, Bees, and Rainbow was originally from a member of the Balcomb family. Now from the client to whom we sold it in 2015.

Recommended Reading:  Changing Woman: The Life and Art of Helen Hardin by Jay Scott

TAGS: Helen Hardin, Santa Clara Pueblo, Pablita Velarde, Native American symbols, Native American Paintings, Acoma Pueblo

Image Source: the photo copies (of original polaroid's) of Pablita Velarde and Helen Hardin appear courtesy of the Balcomb family, one of whom actually took the photographs.