Heather Howell Art

Artist Statement: At a young age I was taught to use my memory to make unusual objects look familiar. Finishing a scribbled line that my grandpa would draw on a piece of paper was a game we use to play. I spend my teenage years drawing intricate designs, followed by years of disciplined realism portraiture in charcoal and graphite, and finally my multi-media abstracts. Growing up I was encouraged to participate in activities that required skill and discipline. I learned and participated in team settings while playing piano, violin, voice lessons, and gymnastics. All of which I participated in for 3 years or more. I endured the periods of frustration, enjoyment, and hours upon hours of practice, many with my parents reinforcing discipline that comes with learning a skill. These years were the grounds that gave me confidence and a love for learning, encouraged curiosity of the unfamiliar and finally helping me exceed previous skill limits. Another key role in my creative development was that I grew up in a very spiritual environment. I find this has affected me when needing to 'let go' in a painting. This usually happens when I realized that the painting will not be looking like what I had in my head anytime soon. It is in these moments that it is crucial that I keep painting because this is usually when I have a breakthrough in my art. When I paint I rock back and forth between a very structured perfectionist nature and the spirit of the piece- letting the painting go where it may. I find it very satisfying to explore the medium without set expectations and in that very thing find discipline and tricks for future pieces. The "why" of how I proceed with my artwork is mostly governed by practiced patterns or visual memories that have become instinctive. I pay attention to how colors interact with each other as well as the reality of gravity and the characteristics of the medium. Internally I figure out where I want the onlooker to be drawn to in the piece. I choose to place colors, and movement to draw the on-looker in. If I notice that my eye gets 'stuck' while looking at the piece, I'll change it so that it is easier to look at. I certainly want them to stay there for a bit. The placement of colors is so important to me. What I layer over is just as important as what I leave behind. I want to not only draw the looker into the piece but get them involved in the process as well. I hint at a direction of what should be there by drawing interpretive lines using color instead of a hard line. It involves the onlooker more- their instincts kick in and suddenly they are just as involved in the creative process as I am. The instinctive line is just as important as a drawn line...I want the viewer to be drawn in and want to create the rest of the lines themselves. There is tension and involvement when the viewer tries to see the rest of the artwork. They are creating the piece too and they will have their own interpretation of what it means or looks like to them.