Heidi’s First Solo Art Show, NYC - April 2014
One of my old roommates and dear friends had her first solo art show in New York City recently! She studied literature in college and has pursued acting mostly, but has always had an interest in oil painting, so when she had some free time on her hands, she came up with these lovely compositions!
To be clear, New Yorkers rarely have “free time” on their hands, but she recognized the need to create during her downtime. When I spoke to her upon visiting the gallery, she said that she noticed that if she didn’t paint over the weekend, she would go to work on Monday feeling a bit empty and slightly depressed, so she began to make painting a regular part of her routine.
She was also very inventive when it came to space. Her little apartment barely provided living room, let alone studio space, so she began painting on small canvasses, similarly sized. She tacked a plastic sheet on her kitchen wall and hung the blank canvasses in the order we see now. She said she gave herself grace to paint and repaint, as she found things she liked or disliked. The blue piece in particular she painted over three times before she found what she was looking for. Finally, when it was time to transport, she could fairly easily move the small canvasses in multiple stages to the gallery for her show.
The one thing I really like about Heidi’s artistic story is that she didn’t plan on having an art show, instead she painted because it caused her to feel joyful and maybe even a bit more whole. Perhaps starting there for our journeys could lead to even greater things, but as I remind myself regularly, “just start”. Use what you have and where you have it. Live in the moment and create doing what comes naturally and healthily to you. I need to take a lesson in this myself.
Thanks, Heidi! And, congrats to you. :)
*Press release attached
