Plunge into The Arts with Helen Finkelstein and her late husband Lonnie Finkelstein

Please join us for our Plunge Into The Arts Artist Open House featuring the works of Helen Finkelstein and her late Husband Lonnie Finkelstein, on Wednesday, March 27th at 6:00pm at Plunge Beach Resort.

Registration and your first glass of wine are complimentary!

Parking is $5 cash per vehicle, please pay at the Front Desk upon arrival.

About Helen Finkelstein (In Helen’s words): My love for clay began in 1983 as a novice ceramic artist I was totally connected to a kiln and glazes, building nonfunctional vessels, always staying true to the authentic process. For me appreciating the transformation of clay and being able to manipulate clay at different stages of the process, from cold damp workable clay, soft leather-hard to bone chalking dry is part of the challenge. With so many variables, challenges and heart aches going into completing a successful piece, opening the kiln after a firing is filled with anticipation, excitement, and sometimes disappointment.

Encouraged by my professor Elmer Graig and peers to exhibit my work in fine shops and organizations, namely the Bake House Complex in the Wynwood area, Clay Space on Lincoln Road, Balogh Jewelers, Jonny Boyd’s and numerous exhibits in the design district.

I have had the pleasure of donating several pieces for charity auctions and fund raisers such as Art for Aids bringing in some handsome bids for the cause.

After a long sabbatical to pursue my medical career, I have now returned with a new approach as my ideas have changed with time and experience, allowing myself to break out of being a purest working only with clay. Keeping an open mind, working with an array of materials, mosaics, glass, and acrylics has been somewhat of a rebirth. This revitalizing attitude of mixed media has expanded my world as an artist with unlimited restrictions.

My latest works are highly texturized elongated dysmorphic body forms made with some recycled materials to give them a second life. Some figures are genderless, curvy, colorful and tipsy requiring somewhat of a MacGyver building.

The “freedom” of being able to integrate all materials at hand has rekindled my passion and love for creating art in all its forms. I would hope to inspire anyone that would like to create and try something new to break away and explore all possibilities to be resourceful to create outside the box.

About Lonnie: Lonnie had an extensive career of fashion and hair design in New York City. He was the successful owner and designer of Apple Haircutters. Opportunities presented for Lonnie in Florida and he decided to change careers paths. Years later, he was forced to retire due to a failed back surgery and immersed himself into perfecting his skills for creating outrageous, one-of-a-kind glass on glass art. In addition, Lonnie also worked with raw bamboo to create beautiful colorful lights.

He and his wife Helen shared a studio space in their home in Boynton Beach Florida. Together spent many hours a day working on creating his colorful whimsical ladies. He could be found in his studio at all hours of the night, grinding, cutting fastidiously working on his piece. His inspiration came from different areas, past experiences, friends, the love of nature and the beauty of the human body. In Lonnie’s case, much of his inspiration stemmed from multiple failed back surgeries which left him in chronic pain. His art helped him take his mind to a different place.