Exhibit and Silent Auction Sale of Helen Smith Paintings at Lockhouse Gallery

Benefit for Brunswick Food Bank and Brunswick Arts Council

BRUNSWICK, Md., Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Held at Lockhouse Gallery in the downtown Mainstreet of Brunswick, Maryland.  17 W Potomac St. Brunswick, MD  21716.  The paintings will be up for exhibit and viewing on September 16th, 2025 and will end with the completion of the silent auction event and celebration on September 27th 5- 8 pm.  The proceeds of Lockhouse Gallery (35% of the sale) will be donated to the Brunswick Food Bank and the Brunswick Arts Council. 

Helen Smith was an artist and leader in the artistic community of Frederick County for more than 80 years. She was a well-known and beloved artist that documented the history of Frederick through her art and a trailblazer for women in art. She painted as a child, until her death in 1997 at the age of 103.  She graduated from the Maryland Institute of Art in 1916 and taught art at Hood College from 1916 to 1925 where she also served as the head of the art department. In 1925, she became one of the only successful women entrepreneurs in the Frederick area. She lived in an apartment above her shop at 237 N Market St. that had no heat and was supplemented with a kiln to keep her warm. She worked into the night to keep up with her orders, and her perseverance allowed her to survive the Great Depression. 

Lockhouse Gallery has obtained 22 original works that were painted by Helen Smith and was asked to sell them on consignment. They are owned by the Guy Whidden Estate. There are 21 original watercolors of iconic landmark scenes in Frederick, and one eglomise. They represent scenes such as the spires of Frederick City, the Barbara Fritchie House, the gazebo in Baker Park, the Catoctin Furnace, Schifferstadt, the Hood College administration building and many others.   The paintings were obtained by Guy Whidden II who was a well-known citizen of the Frederick area and a prominent World War II veteran. He passed away in 2022.  He was good friends with Helen Smith and would often visit her in her studio home.  At those visits he would appreciate and view her inventory of work and buy one of her paintings.  We imagine those visits to have been stories about their shared era and service to the community. Each of these paintings represents their valuable time together, and collective identity.

Guy Whidden II, her collector and friend, was a decorated veteran of the 101st Airborne Division, serving as a paratrooper during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. He was severely wounded during a mortar attack in the Netherlands where he was the only survivor from his squad.  Helen Smith's life story was equally fascinating and beautifully documented in a book written about her life, called "Frederick's Legacy - The Art of Helen L. Smith". A copy of the book can be downloaded at the website of the Historical Society of Frederick (http://frederickhistory.org).  She devoted her life to art in Frederick and was an entrepreneur downtown when it was not looked upon as a favorable profession for women. She left behind a varied and eclectic body of work.  The Delaplaine Art Center has offered free workshops in her name and has honored her with a scholarship fund. 

It is unclear how many of her works will be available for purchase in the future, outside of this collection, so this may be a rare opportunity to own one of her works, while also contributing to a wonderful cause.  Helen believed in the continuing support of art within local communities.  The Brunswick Arts Council is supporting greatly needed art programs in our community, and we feel that supporting food security, through donation to the Brunswick Food Bank is of utmost importance. 

This collection of her work will be exhibited at Lockhouse Gallery starting on September 16th.  Personal viewings of the work can be conducted on request prior to September 16th. A viewing room (photographs and information on each painting) will be set up and can be located on the Lockhouse Gallery website at www.lockhousegallery.com.  The paintings can be purchased at any time for "buy it now" prices. Bids will be accepted on each painting starting at any time before or during September 27th.  The bidding will end on September 27th at 7:30 pm, during the silent auction reception and celebration.  Please join us as well as members of the Brunswick Art Council, and Brunswick community leaders on Saturday September 27th from 5-8 pm to celebrate this important event. Light food, beverages and wine will be served. This is a casual event that is open to the public. Feel free to contact Kimberly Yourick at Lockhouse Gallery for more information and to be sent a link to the viewing room.

Lockhouse Gallery opened in May of 2025 with their grand opening occurring in July of 2025.  They currently represent 28 artists, painters, fine jewelry metalsmiths, and wood workers that are mostly local. They offer regular events for the community, including artist talks, social events and special exhibitions. Their philosophy is to provide a warm and inviting space for the community and art at all genres and pricing.

SOURCE Lockhouse Gallery