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http://rickhellerflutes.com/about_artist.html
(for full biography)
Rick has had a passion for making flutes for over 17 years.
He is also musician, and has a good ear for sound quality.
All of ricks flutes are individual creations, and finely tuned with an electronic tuner.
We intend All flutes to have a happy home.
This is why we have a complete refund policy.
It insures that you can be happy with your purchase.
For an extensive biography and more gallery photos, please visit ricks website.
www.rickhellerflutes.com
About the Artist
 Since I was a teenager of 16 I have been a craftsman working with wood in a wide variety of ways.
In 1969 I started building custom dulcimers with a partner at the Gate Hill Artists Cooperative in Stony Point, N.Y., along the Hudson River. It was a turning point for me, and ended up being the beginning of my artistic adventure.
After that I moved to Arkansas to work with other artists that were blacksmiths, pottery workers, writers, musicians, basket weavers, and other woodworkers in an artist's cooperative.
At the same time I worked on several renovation projects restoring historical homes and barns in the Buffalo National River district, until my home and studio were ready to use. I still occasionally work on renovation projects if they are interesting to me.
At one of the historical homes I worked on  I built all the cabinets, other woodwork and furniture in the Shaker style, to match the Shaker furniture and other fine antiques she was decorating the house with after spending considerable time researching the style. I worked on that home for eleven years, along with their two log guest houses and two barns.
Once my home and studio were ready to use, I made antique reproductions for several years, moving into wildlife wood sculpture. They were carefully hand carved and hand painted, then antiqued, to attain a warm patina to create the illusion of age.
My line of wildlife wood sculpture included Swans, Geese, Blue Herons, Egrets, Eagles, songbirds, Giraffes, Rocking horses and ducks, which I marketed through various gift catalogs, museum shops, art shows and direct mailings.
 The artwork I created was featured on the cover of three national catalogs and The Decorative Arts Museum in Little Rock selected one of my sculptures as part of their permanent collection.
Jump down the page to my history to read about the other honors that were given to my artwork.
I met a flute maker and struck up a very close friendship which continues today. For several years I worked with this man (Michael Allen of Coyote Oldman Music). In 1990 I began creating my own flutes with his blessing.
I've been creating Native American style flutes since that time, along with other flutes for recording artists and professional musicians around the country.
Currently I am working on recording my own music and hope to offer it soon.
Flute creation has given me much pleasure over the years, and my hope is that many people will gain joy from this most colorful and easy to play instrument. I feel honored to be creating these wonderful flutes that have such a rich history which began in the Americas so many years ago.
It is my hope that each of my flutes will become a cherished friend to all who play them.
- Rick Heller
| 1990- now |
Created Native American Style Flutes for many retailers and selling them myself |
| 1989 - 1990 |
Freelance Wood Sculptor
Supplying Galleries, Interior Designers, and Collectors
Entering the International Market Creating original designs in wood.  |
| 1983 - 1989 |
Folk Artist
Creating and marketing
Antique Reproductions and variations |
| 1975 - 1983 |
Designer and Remodeling
Restoration Work Buffalo National Park
Boxley, Arkansas 72670 |
| 1972 - 1974 |
Dulcimer Shop Partnership
The Gate Hill Co-op/Artist's Community
Stony Point, New York 10980
Stephen Schwartz, Partner |
Professional History
| 1986 - date. |
War Eagle Mills Fair, Exhibitor at Oct. Fall Show |
| 1993 |
The Year of American Craft, Juried Touring Exhibit, Arkansas Craft Guild Trumpeter Swan, Jan. to Dec. 1993 |
| Feb. 1993 |
Bloomingdales,
Interior Designers
Newton, MA
(giraffe, Egret, Heron) |
| 1992 - 1993 |
New York International Gift Fair Represented by Artisans Source, |
| 1992 |
Arkansas Craft Gallery, Gallery Walk Exhibition (Featured Artist, Eureka Springs, AR. Nov. 1992)
"Especially Arkansas" (AIDC) Catalog, Holiday Gifts, Blue Heron, Nov. 1992
Arkansas Craft Gallery, Gallery Walk Exhibition (Featured Artist, Hot Springs, AR. Mar. 1992) |
| 1991 |
Arkansas Craft Gallery, Gallery Walk Exhibition (Featured Artist, Hot Springs, AR. Nov. 1991 Pentacle Studio Exhibition (Featured Artist, Clinton, AR. Dec. 1991) |
| 1990 |
Arkansas Times, Tremendous Toys, (Giraffe on wheels, Little Rock, AR. Dec. 1990)
Eighteenth Annual Toys Designed by Artists (Swan on wheels, Little Rock, AR. Nov. 1990) |
| 1988 |
Purchase Award - chosen for the Museum's permanent collection
Sixteenth Annual Toys Designed by Artists Competition at Arkansas Arts Center Decorative Arts Museum |
| 1986 |
First Place Award, Three Dimensional at The Arkansas Arts, Crafts and Design Fair |
| 1986 - 2001 |
Arkansas Craft Guild,
Supplier of the Guilds galleries
Featured in the Guilds order catalog 1992 and 1993
Mountain View, Arkansas
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| 1987 - 1989 |
Member and Supplier to the gift shops of The Museum of American Folk Art
The Museum of American Folk Art
62 W. 50th. Street
New York, N.Y. 10112 |
| 1989 |
Country Home Magazine, Holiday Gift Section (Giraffe on wheels, New York, N.Y. Nov. 1989) (Canada Goose on wheels) |
| 1986 |
Arkansas Govenor's Exhibition, State Capitol (Swan Rocker, Little Rock, AR. Nov. 1986) |
| 1985 - 1990 |
Pure and Simple Catalog, Supplier for five years. Featured 22 items in their catalogs.
Pure and Simple Catalog, Cover Photo (Santa, Nashville, AR. Sept. 1988)
Pure and Simple Catalog, Cover Photo (Santa, Nashville, AR. Oct. 1989) |
| 1989 |
Geneva Country Store, Catalog Cover Photo (Swan on Wheels, Geneva, I1. Sept. 1989) |
| 1987 - 1988 |
Artisans Cooperative Catalog (Shaker Lantern, Westchester, PA.) Supplier Oct. 1987 to Oct. 1988 |
| 1987 - 1990 |
Geneva Country Store, Supplier "Swan on Wheels" April 1987 to April 1990. |
Education
| 1977 - 1988 |
Studied Shaker Design
Shaker Design Restoration & Construction |
| 1974 - 1977 |
Sassafras Artist Community
Sculptural Art & Construction
Ms. Diana Rivers |
| 1974 - 1975 |
D. Bowman & Assoc.
Mr. Delmar Bowman
Architectural Designs |
| 1972 - 1974 |
Gate Hill Artists Cooperative
Mr. Stephen Schwartz
Dulcimer Construction |
| 1970 - 1972 |
North Rockland
Mr. George Biemal
Woodwork, Metal work, Pottery |
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