Claudine Hellmuth and her whimsical Poppets

Collage Artist, Claudine Hellmuth

Interviewing Claudine Hellmuth is like talking to an old friend that makes you feel at ease and puts a smile on your face that comes from deep inside.

Claudine is passionate about her artwork and the joy that it brings to others. She is an internationally known collage artist, author, and illustrator. Claudine combines photos, paint, paper and pen into quirky, whimsical collages that she calls Poppets®.

She creates unique, custom artworks for people using their photo images. Claudine uses a myriad of materials, including vintage fabrics and retro images, to create scenes or recreate people’s happy memories in personalized collage sketches and canvases. Claudine told me that the most popular scene that she’s asked to create are beach scences, which I can understand as we all sometimes wish we could be somewhere else.

Poppets® are a perfect gift for everyone, especially the person who has everything. Imagine the look on your friend, family member, or co-worker’s face when they open a gift of artwork that was created especially for them, with their photo incorporated into a scene that they will enjoy forever.

Many people order Poppets® for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, holidays, or just because. Claudine’s original Poppet® Sketches begin at just $75, which makes them an affordable way to give a unique, personalized piece of art to friends and family.

They can be ordered through her website. It’s easy – you fill out a commission request form and then send your photos.  Photos can include one person, couples, families, and even pets.

Poppets® take approximately six weeks from start to delivery. But Christmas orders get booked up quickly. She’s usually booked with Christmas orders by the end of October, so be sure to get your order in early.

Claudine also offer’s Gift Certificates and On Its Way Certificates with a brochure to give, in the event you’re short on time or unable to schedule your commission in time to give the recipient.

Her artworks have been featured on The Martha Stewart Show, in Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine, The New York Times, on HGTV's "I Want That!" and on the DIY Network's program "Craft Lab." Her art can also be found on greeting cards, gifts and scrapbook supplies in stores near you.

In addition to creating her wonderful artwork, Claudine teaches collage workshops in the US & Canada, and she has written three books Scrapbooker’s Creativity Kit, Collage Discovery Workshop, and Collage Discovery Workshop: Beyond the Unexpected. She has also produced three instructional DVD workshops.

Claudine also has her own product line with Ranger Industries called the Claudine Hellmuth Studio.  I will share more with you about this fabulous new product line in a later article.

If you’re going to be in the DC Metro Area (Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Central Maryland) on June 28, Claudine will be teaching a Mixed Media Madness class featuring her new product line at Angela’s Happy Stamper.

Claudine Hellmuth’s warm personality comes through in all that she does. Her Poppets® are sure to make anyone who receives them smile…from someplace deep inside.