Thomas Elmo Williams has made a well-known name for himself within the Helper community as an artist, former councilman, ex-miner and more. His reputation also spans across the country as he fosters relationships through his trade.
Williams remarked that in 2019, four men on Harley Davidsons pulled into Helper, walked into his gallery and inquired after him. He spoke with the men for a while, reminiscing on his time before he left West Virginia as a miner to become a miner in Utah. Once in Helper, Williams’ artistic side bloomed.
Williams has worked in Helper for decades, helping to rebuild the town personally and while serving on the city council. One of the men Williams spoke with during this conversation was Clifford Sutherland, the owner of Harley Davidson in Morgantown. He told Sutherland that anytime he wished for a painting to let him know.
In the past year, Williams fell quite ill, shutting the doors on his gallery downtown and moving it back to the home he shares with his partner. Sutherland called Williams in the winter, unaware of his sickness, and asked if he would help raise money for an auction being hosted at WV University, presented by Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration, for cancer.
This fundraiser, the annual Bob Huggins Fish Fry, benefits the Norma Mae Huggins Endowment at the WV University Cancer Institute as well as the Remember the Miners organization. The organization awards scholarships to mining engineering students that are at the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at the university.
Williams agreed and created both a print and an oil painting for the auction. “I felt very honored that he asked me,” Williams stated, also remarking that this venture helped him become re-dedicated to working and painting once again.
The project for the auction helped Williams greatly this winter, who is on the mend and stated that he is feeling better each day. “They might think I did a good thing for them, but what they don’t know is that they did a good thing for me,” said Williams.
He continued by saying that it goes to show what tourism, art galleries and other forms of entertainment bring to the area and residents. This venture took Williams full circle and took him home to where he could do something that was going to benefit, more than likely, members of his own family. This made Williams feel very honored.
The auction was hosted on Friday, Feb. 26, bringing in $500,000. Williams’ print brought in $500 while his oil painting sold for $5,000. He stated that he cannot thank them enough for letting him be a part of the auction and he is grateful each time that he gets to contribute to worthy causes.