It’s been a while since I’ve posted but I’ve been busy “planting seeds,” as Adriano puts it.

Fastly approaching is the “Evolving Archetype” visual art series.  All the components seem to be coming together well and I am switching hats over to “artist” from “coordinator.”  Stay tuned in for progress about my installation but I do invite you to check out One Stone Collective’s blog that chronicles the piecing together of their show that happens throughout Southside Bethlehem.  They are some smart and sassy gals that are going to knock your socks off. www.onstonecollective.blogspot.com

As I think about the beginning of my installation and what it represents, it’s exciting yet super freaky.  My installation is an outgrowth of my Architect’s Daughter series and something I began thinking about while I was in Spain.  My desire to get back into installation work was reignited while I was there and around such wonderful artistic drive, and creativity.  I shared a studio with probably some of the most ambitious artists I’ve met.  And I loved their openness to just ask and do…… so needless to say when I came up with the idea to actually break through walls (much like the way I break through the surface of my paintings) what I started to do was ask and to my surprise, the opportunity presented itself.

I will be working in the Arts Lehigh building which is a house that was bought by the university at one time.  I am getting a room to practically do as I please.  My room is the former dining room.  I adore that I am given a place that has character and not a cold stark gallery (but gallery owners don’t shy away from offering me a show :)

This place has domestic character and when I think about where one learns lessons about who they are, this happens within a place where friends and family are collected and often, this is around a dinner table.  I don’t know that this will feed into the piece visually however that spirit instantly suggested that this is the right place for the piece.

I’m approaching the room as a vessel for the blank slate of our identity while we formulate who we are.  As a child, I definitely know that I had my fair share of dream time.  Outside of the family dynamic, I honestly thought I was Wonder Woman and when I realized that was not true, I became Princess Leia.  These were women that were strong, independent, and influential to their peers and community.  I loved that no one told them what to do and they essentially blazed their own trial- reliant on no one.  I think to this day, the things that drew me to Wonder Woman and Princess Leia are the things I cherish most about myself.  Funny.  That daydreaming really was me figuring it all out.

Last night, I had dinner with Jennie.  I mentioned Jennie and Lily awhile back.  Lily is her four year old daughter.  When I returned from Spain, Jennie mentioned that Lily has been fascinated by me.  I am the “world famous artist.”  That is so funny to me because to all that know me, my trip to Spain didn’t happen without the generosity of so many people and the time there was challenging (yet rewarding).  I know I was in Spain and my work was my plane ticket there yet, “world famous” is something very far away from me.  I guess to a four year old going half way across the world to “paint” would be pretty mysterious.

I visit with Jennie and Lily probably once a month.  Last time I was there, a few days later Lily was playing in her playroom.  Jennie asked her what she was playing and she replied “heather.”  This really astounds me.  I know she is a Tinkerbell fanatic however instead of this Disneyfied fantasy world, she is playing me.  I never thought I could really be this larger than life example for a child to help formulate who she wants to become.  I’m not sure what the attributes are about me she is so enamored with but hopefully it is the strength and independence I learned during my time as Wonder Woman.

ps.  As a side note, Jennie also had to explain to Lily that I don’t, in fact, work in a banana factory.