Born in Brooklyn, Riva Helfond lived in or near New York City for most of her life. She studied at the Art Students League with Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Harry Sternberg, Morris Kantor and Alexander Brook.

Her experience working for the New York City WPA from 1936-1941 was rich in creative opportunities and diverse influences. Assigned to the Harlem Art Center, Helfond taught lithography with Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden. Transferred to the Graphic Arts Division headed by Russell Limbach, she worked

with Louis Lozowick and Jacob Kainen. Later she joined the silk-screen division supervised by Anthony Velonis, where Harry Gottlieb and Elizabeth Olds were also major contributors. She mastered the mediums of lithography, woodcut, etching, aquatint and serigraphy; printing all of her own work.

In 1964 she taught printmaking at New York University and after 1980 she joined the faculty of Union College in Cranford, New Jersey.

Electric Plants - - 1935, Lithograph.

Edition 15. Signed, dated, titled and numbered 12/15 in pencil.

Image size 14 1/4 x 15 1/4 inches (362 x 387 mm); sheet size 15 5/8 x 18 1/8 inches (397 x 460 mm).

A superb, atmospheric impression, on cream wove paper, with margins (5/8 to 1 3/4 inches), in excellent condition. Scarce.

Created for the New York City WPA.

SOLD

Fort Hancock Station - - c.1937, Color Linocut.

Edition c. 25. Signed and titled in pencil. Stamped NEW YORK CITY WPA ART PROJECT, in the lower left margin, with the WPA number G-8455 in pencil, in the bottom left sheet corner.

Image size 11 7/8 x 15 7/8 inches (301 x 403 mm); sheet size 15 7/8 x 19 1/8 inches (403 x 486 mm)

A fine, painterly impression, with fresh colors, on cream wove Japan; full margins (1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches). Soft creasing in the margins, otherwise in excellent condition.

Ex. collection Audrey McMahon, Director, New York City WPA Art Project.

Collection: NYPL.

$1400.

The Clowns - - c.1937, Color Serigraph.

Edition c. 25. Signed and titled in pencil.

Image size 13 3/16 x 15 1/4 inches (353 x 387 mm); sheet size 16 3/4 x 18 3/4 inches (425 x 476mm).

A rich, fresh impression, with strong colors, on off-white laid paper; full margins (1 3/8 to 2 inches). Some handling creases in the margins, otherwise in good condition.

Created for the New York City WPA.

$1200.

Escort - - 1940, Lithograph.

Edition not stated. Signed, dated and titled in pencil.

Image size 9 3/4 x 11 3/8 inches (248 x 289 mm); sheet size 11 7/16 x 15 15/16 inches (291 x 405 mm).

A fine, rich impression, on cream wove paper, with full margins (7/8 to 2 9/16 inches), in excellent condition.

$1100.

Peloponnesos - - 1970, Color Silkscreen.

Edition 50. Signed, titled, dated and numbered 24/50 in pencil.

Image size 12 1/16 x 15 1/8 inches (305 x 385 mm); sheet size 15 3/16 x 19 3/8 inches (386 x 493 mm).

A fine, fresh impression, on cream wove paper, with full margins (1 1/2 to 2 1/8 inches), in excellent condition.

$850.