First Things First, let me Introduce Myself
Hello everyone, first of all let me thank you for subscribing to my newsletter. This is my first time blogging so bear with me as I learn the ins and outs of it. I wanted to make this into a glimpse of what is going on in my art life and for you to get to know me a little better. So with that being said lets get started.
My name is Heather Heitzenrater, as you have already probably figured that out, I am 23 and I live with my fiance, his cat and my 12 year old cat in Pittsburgh PA. My fiance, Christopher Boring is also an artist. You can check out his website on the link below.
Chris and I both went for art at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and that is where we meet. We also share a studio space though an organization called Radiant Hall. I'll write about the studio space more later.
So that's enough about me for the moment I'm just going to switch gears here and tell you a little about my work. I'm a realist figurative oil painter and my work tends to be on the more surreal side of things. I have always loved anything science fiction or fantasy based. I read a lot when I was growing up and still do. I always read about everyday people going into theses worlds that where a little bit more backwards than our own. I loved the worlds that theses characters went through, but what I was most compelled by was how theses characters got there and that thin space that links the two worlds together; that split second that the characters spent in that thin space. I guess the best way to describe it is that scene from the new Alice Through the Looking Glass where she is going through the mirror. Yeah they did a good job getting in my head there.
In my paintings I explore the idea of how those characters spend time in that thin space, or threshold as I like to call it. I image what it would be like to get sucked into it or being trapped, or just nosing about. My figures never really get to the other side, at least yet. Maybe that might be my next series who knows.
So the way that I create theses thresholds is by this awesome material called reflective Mylar. It's the stuff that an emergency blanket is made out of. Its super reflective and durable. It is almost like a poss-able fun house mirror. I was always interested in reflections and how they create abstraction in real life. When I was in school I started painting colored glass bottles and metals then moved on to people underwater. Then I discovered mylar and I was hooked on it. It seems to be a growing trend in the art world. Just this week I saw 2 sculptures made out of the stuff. I've also been seeing it pop up in other painters work.
I use my Mylar as a background for my figures I sometimes add strips of it onto my models. Lately I've been using colored Mylar streamers and Mylar balloons. Yeah, party stores are my favorite. I then shine colored lights onto my set up. When I take a pictures of this, the camera captures super bright distinguished shapes of color that the human eye does not pick up. Then I work from those reference pictures.
It's super tedious what I paint but I like giving myself a head ache from time to time. I also like hearing how others interpret my work. Others intemperate my work in a more mundane way, Like inner struggle, stress and childhood memories. If you interpret my work differently let me know!
Alright so I think that's about it for my first blog post. I'm hoping to do one of these at least every other week. I'll send a news letter out when I post a new one or if any other announcements come up. So make sure you subscribe! In the mean time I hope you enjoy the rest of my website and feel free to message me if you have any questions or comments, tips or critiques.
