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Susan Helmich's Angels with Attitudes®
Have you ever seen something that wasn’t
there?
Held something that couldn’t be touched?
Loved someone who didn’t exist?
Be somewhere you’ve never been?
Have you ever touched the sky without leaving the ground?
Given a speech without making a sound?
Have you ever loved just for the sake of loving?
Cried when you’re happy? Laughed when you’re sad?
If you’ve ever done any of these things or a thousand other
things that can’t be explained but can’t be ignored,
then you have angels in your life.
Susan Helmich is one of those rare artists that maybe come along
once a decade. What she created in her angels collection not only
touched my soul, it was my soul. Susan found a way to put into precious
metal what we all admire and adore of the people (angels) that come
into our lives. It is my great honor to present to you, Susan Helmich.
There are people who enter our lives in unusual and in ordinary
ways, making our journey more meaningful by their presence. They
exhibit precious qualities in the way they live and this expression
is called Attitude. Angels with Attitudes® are the people in
our lives.
Perseverance – For those
who face unexpected challenges with determination.
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I never intended to create a jewelry collection about angels …
at least not angels in a religious sense. This design marks the
beginning of the collection; it also marks a deeper realization
of the spiritual role people have in our lives. I learned through
this creative journey that circumstances and events bring people
into our lives when we need them and their influence goes beyond
this life. I was commissioned to create a special project from Jim.
The project was an angel pendant design for his antique store, Angels
in the Attic. This would be our first and last business venture.
Jim, 44, was stricken with terminal cancer. I was drawn to his “living
in the now” attitude. As an avant-garde jewelry designer receiving
awards for my extreme design style, it seemed out of sync with my
artistic ego. Little did I know how significant that commission
would be. Within six weeks of meeting Jim, my mother was diagnosed
with terminal cancer. The power of that moment was overwhelming
and life changing. It demanded that I re-examine my work, my priorities
and my respect for time. When my mother passed away, Jim attended
her funeral. Two weeks later, Jim passed. I was privileged to be
with both of them at the time of their departure from this world.
In retrospect, Perseverance evolved from these events. Perseverance
is distinctly human; it is a determination to continue in spite
of life’s obstacles. For my mother, Jacqueline.
Jubilant – Inspired by those
who never miss a chance to celebrate life.
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At the bench in my studio, I felt like an
explorer on uncharted seas. With only my imagination to guide me,
I was open to simply go with the form taking shape and allow it
to lead the way. It was an extremely smooth form which seemed to
personify a sense of purposeful playfulness. It appeared to be dancing.
Jubilant is what came to mind. I had to smile as I became aware
of the person who had influenced this design, Carolyn. My friend
is altogether open and ready to celebrate life, to create the celebration.
She almost dances into relationships with friends and loved ones.
To celebrate means, in a sense, to perform a ceremony. Hers is the
ceremony of life. Her creed is to see the best, to be happy, to
be joyful. She is gifted with sensitivity and an awareness that
originates from her own needs and desires. I am reminded that in
the presence of a jubilant attitude, I have a lightness of spirit,
and I am uplifted for a moment. I also know that this person did
not have an easy path along the way. Maybe that is how you learn
to go over the bumps … dance your way to the other side.
Courage
– In tribute to those who have no choice but to find their
inner strength.
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Courage comes in giving up fear, it is
found in doing what you must do. I realized I had formed two wings
by expanding the wax as far as it could go. The image was undeniable
and the message clear. Our wings, our strength, appear when we are
stretched as far as we can go and we must carry on. Using my chisel,
one of few tools used in this collection, I further defined the
wings into a deeply carved design – much like what happens
to us when we go through an experience which creates a courageous
response. It is the determined move which shapes us. The “V”
was obvious and so was the inspiration, my friend, Mike. He was
a prisoner of war in Vietnam for seven years. Courage has a halo
because it is connected to the spiritual, not the physical. It is
about a strength that is honorable because it is vulnerable and
real. There are many kinds of battles, some global and some personal,
and they all require a journey of mind and spirit to face and to
walk through. Behind victory, is inner strength and inner beauty
which come from the heart … the place where hope lives.
Harmony
– In celebration of achieving balance and harmony in one’s
life.
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Balance is a beautiful state of being. I
have searched for balance my entire life, and I have viewed it in
others. Interesting how the clearest reflections are seen in still,
calm waters. Harmony was created out of raw material being transformed
by a lavish texture into a form of tranquility. It is the only symmetrical
design in the collection, creating a peaceful image through balanced
elements. I folded the wax sides by choice, to create an easiness
and softness of shape. Immediately, I knew this design had my friend
Nikki’s influence, a softness of shape similar to her peaceful
aura. There is something quite lovely about a peaceful spirit. My
friend teaches me in silence, through example, to be one with your
earthly existence and to be comfortable with who you are. She has
brought me to a place of serenity within myself by showing me that
the path of solitude, being alone within my personal space, is sacred.
That is balance and balance is Harmony. Still, calm waters.
Patience
– For those wishing time would pass swiftly.
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The subliminal will make itself known at the
bench. In my studio, Patience arrived. Like a butterfly leaving the
cocoon, the design was an emerging figure. Looking at it, I saw it
was from the “rib” of Courage. It had an attitude of standing
still and facing what one must face. Several years ago there was a
tragic airplane crash which left two widows. The young widow of the
passenger on the plane came into my gallery to purchase Perseverance
as a gift for the pilot’s widow, Jacqui. Jacqui was experiencing
and working through the depth of what had happened, she was in the
grip of time. Jacqui is my friend. I didn’t realize our common
connection until she began sharing her life’s story with me.
Time had not been her healer. She said that if I ever made another
Angel, to please make one for her and name it Patience. I didn’t,
until years later when it came through my hands from my memory of
this event. Immediately, I knew this design was Patience. Patience
has an image of moving forward while keeping anchored in the present.
This is the lesson. Patience will get you to the place you want to
go if you will stay in the moment and allow time to show you the way.
Guardian
– Inspired by the unspoken, yet undeniable expression of love.
I am drawn to those who respond to the life
from their heart, from a core place in their spirit. It is the sole
road to being a guardian … a pureness of heart paves the way.
Guardian took the shape of a cross, organic in form and with open
arms. I saw in the open arms, a place for others to find rest and
safety. I have always admired Saint Francis of Assisi because he
was a nonconformist who followed the leading of his heart to love
and respect all living things. Guardian is distinctly human with
a head, arms, and body. When I saw this image, I added a sparkling
texture to the shoulders, abstract birds, to represent the silent,
yet very endearing way people and animals show their trust and care.
This design is about unsolicited protection which comes naturally
by those who act upon their “unguarded” feelings.
Stubborn
– Inspired by those who stand for what they believe.
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Without Stubborn, there would not be a collection.
The name is a term of endearment. It represents what I most admire
in people – a battery of people – not just one person.
I saw it in my son, Josh, and in my others close to me. This design
speaks a truth to the personality of those who stand for what they
believe in and will not compromise. It is a state of being. Stubborn
is the smallest design in size but one of the largest in its inherent
qualities. Exuding a straightforward image, it is unyielding in its
presence among the other designs. It does not sway or bend, it is
head-on. To be stubborn is to be justifiably unyielding, to demonstrate
that which is well-founded. I embrace this quality and see it as a
positive. To have a stubborn attitude is a gift of self-empowerment.
Cherished
– To realize that you are treasured …
People asked me to create a design about love. I dismissed it as a
trendy theme, and as an artist the idea of creating a heart was not
what I had in mind. The design emerged when I was exploring new textures
and applications. A natural heart shape appeared which led to an image
of love. When I think of the word love, I think about being cherished.
This design made sense to me; it is about a love that comes from within
the center of our being and then moves up and outward embracing what
we treasure. Cherished is a visual image of what we hold dear, what
we nurture and what we cultivate with care. Cherished is about more
than one level of love, it encircles all levels – child, parent,
lover, spouse, friend self.
Gregarious
– For those who give the infectious gift of joy and laughter
wherever they are.
There are people who enter your life and bring a higher level of joy
into your presence. They have an openness of spirit to see goodness
and light in the world. I believe this quality comes from a solidified
confidence within their being. I have a friend that exudes a gregarious
presence, her name is Beth. Like a ripple on the water, her energy
goes out and creates more, spreading joy beyond. When I saw this design
I knew it was Gregarious, for me, it exemplifies a true expression.
When people enter your life showing a gregarious attitude, I believe
they are inviting us to come out and play – to explore life
with abandon. They are a mystical constant, always in the spirit and
reminding us that we always have a choice. I choose joy.
Grace
– Inspired by those with wisdom, elegance, and maturity.
It is said that grace is a visible expression of what lies within
the soul. I am moved by what I feel when in the presence of my elder
female comrades. I am inspired by a silent beauty which speaks volumes
and invites me to explore my years with new eyes. They are my conveyors,
my rite of passage into growing older. I see wisdom, elegance and
an embracement of life. Grace is the embodiment of an absolute truth,
it is open and assured. Susan and Jane are two extraordinary women
whose influence I see behind this design. Grace illuminates a sense
of self that is not arrogant or boastful … it is pure. It is
an effortless beauty, a flowing with life that is in balance. People
gravitate to grace; it is approachable, almost like a mantra calling.
Life gets better, life gets better.
Daredevil
– For intuition … the internal voice of influence.
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The inner voice is the best voice. I am
uncomfortable with risk, but I always seem to go there. We are trained
to ignore intuition, our inner voice. When you learn to listen and
to test the inner voice, everything falls into place. Acting on
this intuition requires a willingness to turn away from other voices
and opinions. It creates a different path, sometimes igniting other’s
fears. The design took a singular approach, deviating from the collection
at large. Flying by the wing-tip, this form was about a radical
move – a contemplative choice to go its own way. This design
is about choices, choices we make that create a change in our thinking
and in our life. The texture is deep and chaotic, reflective of
feelings and emotions that surface when we are faced with a choice
… to follow or not to follow. Within the chaotic texture is
a beautiful flowing pattern. The name, Daredevil, captures the tenacity
and strength of the attitude. When you act on your inner voice,
it is like daring the devil. At first it seems risky, but in the
end it leads you to a higher, greater mission.
Certainty
– When you listen to your heart … and you just know
…
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Once you
acknowledge intuition, which you learn to respect, then you just
know and can relax in that knowledge. It is in tune with your ideas.
There is no internal chaos. This design is a celebration of a state
of being, a peace within your heart. You are there when you act
on what you know to be true. Donovan, my husband, is the inspiration
for Certainty.
Loyalty
– Embracing our personal commitments to ourselves and others.
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I saw a familiar image similar to a yin-yang
design, light and darkness. This form made me think about relationships
and the price we pay when we give up our identity to keep those
bonds. I was aware of the struggle my teenage daughter, Whitney,
was experiencing in trying to find the balance between being loyal
to herself and still gain the acceptance of her peers. Some people
are gifted with an enormous capacity to be loyal to others, to care
and be there. This is a beautiful gift. To show loyalty literally
means to be true to an original, the source. As I saw her struggle
with this gift I remembered how it felt to be caught between your
feelings for others and yourself. I wanted to give her a lasting
way to see what was happening. Loyalty is dedicated to Whitney.
This design is about relationships and a reminder to be true to
the original source … you. Loyalty has two heads going in
the same direction, like friends or partners flying together. If
you turn it over, on the back is a third angel that represents you.
This is the one, literally, that is closest to your heart.
Invincible
– For those who have survived …
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For several years I have participated in
fund-raiser events for the prevention of domestic violence. In various
formats, I created pieces of art centralizing the theme of protecting
your soul, your self, and your loved ones from harm. When the design
emerged, it spoke a strong message of liberation … a deliberate
move to rise up and go forward. Invincible is about the realization
of self-empowerment. This knowledge gives you the choice to survive.
Moving forward, she walks in beauty and strength. I have always
felt this design was likened to the Lady Liberty on our coin; she
advances with the flame of liberation in her hand. Invincible is
a tribute to those who walk determinedly forward and in doing so,
leave a path for others to follow.
Caregiver
– Inspired by the nurses and volunteers of Hospice. I know
there are earth angels … I’ve seen them.
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Inspiration comes when you least expect
it. I was working with a form that was true, pure, and strong; a
design that opened my heart. My mother had passed away in Hospice
several years before. The volunteers at Hospice comforted, educated
and showed the way. I couldn’t find the words to tell them
what it meant to me. Years later, this design spoke for me. This
figure is powerful, straight and shaped like an arrow. There are
no halos and only a hint of wings. I knew immediately that this
was my tribute to all of those at Hospice who went down the path
beside us. Caregiver is the tallest of all the designs in the collection.
It carries a palette of textures flowing like a river of continual
comfort and aid. In the humble and quiet presence is a reservoir
of inner strength and steadfastness. The real caregivers are earth
angels, under their jackets there are wings. They are efficient,
powerful beings. These people embrace a phase of life that is difficult
to handle, pointing the way and illuminating the passage. They provide
a light in the darkness and in so doing they enable you to see into
the journey. Caregiver is the final puzzle piece in the desires
I have for this collection.
For information on acquiring your own Angel with Attitude®,
contact Erica at 1-800-275-4047.
Acknowledgements:
Marc Thurn – Photography
Product
and Display Development
Donna Saunders – Project Concept and Design
Editor
and Writer
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