Photo by Ken Odor
Artist Clinton Helms in his studio. A selection of Helms’ recent work is currently on display at the Goochland Public Library.

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Clinton Helms spent more than 20 years teaching in the U.S. Army and the Army reserve.

Teaching recruits how to stand at attention, do close order drill and obey on command when he barked an order, that is.

Now he’s busy teaching another group of recruits a whole different set of rules.

While painting is his passion, teaching is equally satisfying, he said Monday from his studio.

An exhibition of his work, revolving around a horse theme, is on display at the Goochland County library through the end of the month.

“I wanted to paint something that would appeal to the people of this area,” he said.

Helms, 49, grew up in South Hill, where he graduated from Park Hill High School in 1978.

He started attending Virginia Commonwealth University, but dropped out and joined the army in 1979.

He served four years active duty and more than 16 years in the Army Reserve, retiring in February 2001 with a rank of Sergeant First Class.

Helms went back to study at VCU before he retired and received his BFA in Illustration in 1999.

“The bells went off – you need to go back to college,” said Helms, who said he worked on his art while he was in the service, sometimes giving his work away.

He also worked in the private security industry while in the reserves.

He continued his education after VCU, receiving a Master in Fine Arts from Marywood University in Scranton, Pa. in 2007.

Helms’ favorite medium is acrylic, applied to prepared masonite board, although he also works occasionally in oils.

In 2001 his work depicting scenes from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks was shown at the Society of Illustrators in Manhattan.

Helms has worked widely in the area. In 1998 he was commissioned to paint a mural for the VCU Sports Center in Chester. In 2007 he created the Black History month poster for VCU. He has done illustrations for the Virginia Education Association and worked for Old World Prints for eight years.

Now the former drill sergeant is busier than ever, combining his painting with teaching classes at VCU, where he has been a member of the adjunct faculty for the last four years, teaching studio and life and figure drawing.

He also teaches illustration and life drawing part-time at Virginia State University.

Just to fill out his schedule, Helms also teaches students at Crossroads Arts Center in Richmond. He met his fiancée Ella Harris there, where both had paintings on display. The couple plan a June wedding.

“We feel we were brought together by fate,” said Helms as he worked on sketching a street scene of 34th Street in New York City before painting in the acrylic media he favors.

One of Helms greatest influences is Norman Rockwell, the famous illustrator whose work adorned the covers of the Saturday Evening Post for years.

Helms said he teaches his students a new way to see.

“I drill it into them, the drawing,” he said, adding that he thinks his background as a drill sergeant helps him attract some of the better students.

“I teach them to really understand shapes,” he explained.

As he prepares for a busy spring of teaching, Helms is also planning to work on a series of street scenes of New York City, where he spent many a week when he was a student at Marywood.

“It’s to keep me fresh while I’m teaching. Finding time will be the challenge,” he said.

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