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After retiring as a skilled-trades auto worker, Helm attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in glassblowing. Though he had been creating stained glass since the late 1970s, this was Helm’s first foray into fine glass art. “It is amazing that something as ordinary as sand and heat can be turned into great art,” he said. However, the process through which this alchemy takes place is far from mundane.

Helm blows the glass which, in its finishing stages, is cold worked, a process that may involve sandblasting, grinding, sanding, drilling, cutting, and polishing while the glass is at room temperature. Helm, who is drawn to geometric shapes, then bonds the glass cubes into exciting forms that achieve a remarkable visual depth as the glass reflects, captures, and magnifies light. The result are pieces that are ethereal and endlessly fascinating to gaze upon, yet sturdy enough to be handled and enjoyed, much of the reason his works have garnered such a devoted following. Back to top