About the Artist

BIOGRAPHY

Helen Berger was born in London, England, to Russian émigré parents, surrounded by musicians, painters and singers. This environment gave Ms. Berger a creative foundation upon which she has thrived throughout her entire life. Even though she learned from her inspiring family and studied in Paris, London and Los Angeles, assisting established artists and attending numerous workshops, Ms. Berger considers herself self-taught.

After using many different mediums over the years – wood, paper, clay, found objects, fabric and photography – Ms. Berger now works predominantly with wood, paper and acrylics.

One of her many processes was to layer painted and hand-cut paper, and paint onto a wood panel, alternately layering and sanding the paint continuing in multiple sanded layers and to emphasize negative spaces. This work represents the artist bringing coherence, clarity and harmony to a chaotic beginning.

Ms. Berger’s latest series combines the use of vellum, gesso and acrylic applied to wood panels to highlight the elegance and simplicity of repetitive shape with clean colors and textural contrasts, creating a playful harmony within a very structured field.

ARTIST STATEMENT

My new series is much evolved from my previous work.

In the past, although I had a feeling of the intangible and of freedom when I worked, my quest was to cull from the vivid chaos of color and forms by repeatedly sanding and repainting many layers of paper and force it into a more peaceful, organized surface. It was an expression of the infinite complexities that I found surrounding me, and my desire to tame them.

Rather than being spurred on by a categorical statement, I was following an unformed artistic thought through to the end. The feeling of freedom and energy came from spontaneity, the love of color, form and composition and the nostalgia that these energies stimulated.

Color, form and composition, and the harmony their combination can elicit, vibrate as a grouping of musical notes might do and set off a nostalgic thinking process that first brought the experience of art into my sights. My musical and artistic family was the major creative influence in my life but also provided the personal trials of the colorful, complex and puzzling world I grew up in.

In my latest series I have taken this need to embrace and contain my memories a step further by developing my reactions to color and form to another level. I try to capture what I feel is the essence of my creative experience. I render my love of color, form and composition down to a minimum, and present it in a purer, simpler visual context – the grid. The result is no less emotionally complex but more exacting and subtle in its presentation and peppered with a touch of subterfuge.

LIST of SHOWS

Pre-2007
  • “Centre d’Arts”, Montreux, Switzerland
  • “Thurston Circle”, Bel Air, California
  • “Mixed Media”, Brentwood Art Center, Los Angeles, California “Amitie Expo X”, Los Angeles Acceuil, Los Angeles, California
  • “Artwork”, Don O’Melveny Gallery, Los Angeles, California
  • “Juried Show”, PPAA, Pacific Palisades, California
  • “Group Show”, Frederick M. Weisman Museum, Malibu, California

 

2007
  • “Group Show”, PPAA, Pacific Palisades, California
  • “Gem”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California
  • “A Taste of Color”, VIVA Gallery, Sherman Oaks, California
  • “Aurora”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California
  • “Summerstock“, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California
  • “Gem”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California
  • “VS”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California
  • “Celebrity Vault”, Beverly Hills, California
  • “Crackerjack”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California
  • “Turf”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California – curator: Gregorio Luke
  • “Open Show”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California

 

2008
  • “Fat City”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California
  • “Out There”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California
  • “April Exhibition”, Abstract EXPOsure Gallery, Nevada
  • “Spring/Summer National Show”, American Juried Art Salon
  • “Alchemy of Art”, Lark Gallery, Santa Monica, California
  • “Salinas Gallery”, Beverly Hills, California
  • “Tarfest”, Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles, California – curator: Howard Fox
  • “Group Show”, Pacific Palisades Art Association, California

 

2009
  • “My New Country”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California
  • “Neoteric Abstract”, Limner Gallery, Hudson, New York
  • “Hidden Treasures”, Phantom Galleries, Long Beach, California
  • “Holiday”, ASTO Museum of Art, Los Angeles, California
  • “Open Call 2009”, Barnsdall Park, Los Angeles, California
  • “The Ten Best of Hidden Treasures”, Phantom Galleries, California

 

2010
  • “Colors of Life”, The Lark Gallery, Los Angeles, California
  • “Go Green”, Lark Galleries, Long Beach, California
  • “Classical Gone Jazz”, Yorba Linda, California
  • “Artistic Voyage”, Messiah Lutheran Church, Yorba Linda, California
  • “Harvest Artwalk”, Red Brick Gallery, Ventura, California
  • “Aurora”, Gallery 825. Los Angeles. California

 

2011
  • “Spring. Love, Life”, ASSI (Rheeway) Gallery, Los Angeles. California
  • “Dreams On Canvas”, Circle of Care Foundation, California
  • “Mission Federal Art Walk”, San Diego, California
  • “Turning Art Into Hope”, Left Coast Gallery, California
  • “Gem”, LAAA, Los Angeles, California
  • “International Art Festival”, St Petersburg, Russia
  • “Rediscovering Wonder”, Lark Gallery, California
  • “BABC”, Marriot Hotel, Santa Monica, California
  • “Arena One”, Barker Hangar, Santa Monica, California
  • “New Beginnings”, San Pedro Art Walk, California
  • “Celebrating Women”, Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles, California
  • “GEM”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California

2013
  • “Abstract Contemplations”, Sulkin/Secant Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, California 2013 – curator: Lark
  • “Words on Printed Page”, Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California –curator by Cheryl Perkey

 

PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

Helen Berger has private collections throughout Europe – Denmark, Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom and has sold her work extensively in the United States.

SELECTED CORPORATE COLLECTIONS

CSW, Los Angeles, California

Endurance Insurance Co., New York

Amber Bat, China

Royal Caribbean International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

REPRESENTATION AND AFFILIATION

LAAA.ORG/ Gallery 825, Los Angeles, California

Lark Galleries, Los Angeles, California

Fresh Paint, Los Angeles, California