“This piece was inspired by an actual event that occurred 30 years ago. My daughter woke up early on Christmas morning and ran to the living room to see if Santa had come. She was met with our coat rack, which happened to have a Santa hat on top, along with some coats and scarves. In the dark, she thought she had run into Santa himself, so she ran back and hid under her covers. I substituted my grandchildren’s images for my daughter’s in my piece, but the memory is the same. My hope is that viewers find the whimsy in this artwork – the magic of Christmas, the power of our imaginations, and the joy felt by children during this special time of the year. As a Christian, I tried to stress to my children the real reason for the season. But the magic of Santa was a special tradition I cherished as a child and tried to instill in my own children. I selected this piece for consideration since the faces are so expressive and tell the story without words.”

–Cami Helmuth

About the Artist

Cami is an artist, muralist, illustrator, actor and writer. She specializes in acrylics, watercolors, encaustics and digital illustrations. She lives in Santa Barbara with her husband of 41 years (John) and her rescue dog (Roxy). Outside of her creative endeavors, she enjoys spending time with her three grandchildren, dancing and throwing balls for her dog (over and over and over and over.....).

You can find more samples of her work or reach her regarding future projects via her website: www.ArtworkbyCamiHelmuth.com