From Above

Heather Heikkinen

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(b. 1968)

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FROM ABOVE; 2010

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acrylic mixed media

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48 x 48 in. (121.9 x 121.9 cm)

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ARTIST STATEMENT

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Last term my work focused on large 4'x4' autobiographical self portraits. I am still making works that are 4'x4' because this represents a feeling of containment for me. It creates a psychological feeling of being trapped, yet at the same time it creates the feeling of safety. A quotation by Francis Bacon resonates with my autobiographical self portraits. "Art is a method of opening up areas of feeling rather than merely an illustration of an object...A picture should be a recreation of an event rather than an illustration of an object; but there is no tension in the picture unless there is the struggle of the object." As I work I am looking within myself and my own experience in which I have been able to pull many rich resources from. I do not dwell on these as negative because without these experiences I would not be where I am today as a person or as an artist. I believe that I am the sum of all parts that creates a whole.

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Using mixed media for me and different methods of expression I feel I can best express what I am trying to say. In all the methods I use there is layering in one form or the other. This goes back to my statement about being the sum of all parts to create a whole. The layering parallels the building of an identity. One of the methods that I use is collage and de-collage. This to me represents the additive and reductive while still focusing on the abstract. I place and attach a variety of different media ranging from acrylic paint, photos, paper tissue, magazine articles, wire, mesh, cloth, etc. to start the basis of my pieces. I proceed to add and take away from there. The removal is the violent aspect for me. The way that I scrap the paint and the build up of materials is very physical. I am able to tap into my subconscious in that moment in order to get out what lies deep within. I use anything from scrapers, alcohol, to sandpaper in order to fulfill this process. I have also been investigating cutting into the plywood to begin the work. This began by investigating artists like Paterson Ewen. The intimate feeling that I get from working with the wood itself has given me the opportunity to investigate my inner feelings a little further. I have also been looking at the urgent mark making of Mike Parr within his autobiographical self portraits.

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A lot of thought and planning goes into the beginning stages of my pieces. I often do quick sketches in my notebook when ideas come to me. I will always refer back to my initial sketches and notes to come up with a starting point. I also work through the process of planning colors, textures, and other materials which takes a lot of time in the beginning. Once this planning stage is complete I allow my work to emerge. The organic nature of my process allows me to continually explore the pathways that are revealed. I will be continuing to explore this organic approach further, while researching further to make work that is more mature in color and meaning.