About Heather
I need to make things; ideally beautiful and engaging things that emerge from many smaller pieces and entice you to look again.
I use the highly physical and permanent media of glass, grout and paint to explore the ephemeral cognitive experiences of attending, perceiving, comprehending and remembering. Balancing vibrancy with restraint, I ground richly colored glass and organic forms in matte grout or painted backgrounds. The mosaics are animated by the interplay between light and glass.
My work is influenced by the austere beauty of my childhood home on the prairies of Alberta, Canada and now by the sensory richness of the urban environments of Chicago where I have spent most of my adult life.
Things that Matter:
Unexpected beauty. I thrive on finding points of beauty and pattern in unexpected places and materials. Linear forms of the built environment and curved organic shapes found in nature are equal sources of inspiration for me.
Handmade Objects. My work requires piece-by-piece cutting to build a whole. As I cut, I find new solutions. This dialogue with the object results in a distinct and unique piece each time.
Dynamic Art. Going beyond the decorative, my mosaics are designed to engage viewers over time. Fragments of pattern invite the viewer to discern the larger whole. Light and movement bring mosaics to life, offering a visually dynamic experience to sustain viewers’ interest across time.
Durable Medium. My original inspiration for working with glass came from seeing ancient mosaics in Spain, Italy and England. I was immediately captivated by the fact that mosaics have endured from antiquity. This unparalleled physical longevity makes mosaics an amazingly versatile media.
My fine art portfolio can be found at: