Patty Heibel
Multi Media
Artist Bio
I have always been fascinated by science, art and technology; my first career was as a chemist and then on to biotechnology. I believe it's important to continually cultivate my sense of wonder and to educate myself on the world we live in, including the spaces currently beyond our reach.
Each painting I do is an experiment in materials, subject, application process or presentation. I call my approach expressive experimentation. Through these paintings I translate landscape and deep space into scenes that explore new territory, created on canvas, paper or wood.
An ongoing series is based on thought provoking images from the Hubble Space Telescope of nebulae, galaxies, dark matter, stars and planet systems. I'm also creating new abstracts and insects with hand-made papers, metal leaf and other mixed media. The complex surfaces have considerable tactile qualities that create a greater illusion of color depth than most other paint applications.
Before calling a painting finished, it first needs to be technically sound and most importantly, it needs to be engaging. I ask; is it something I want to keep looking at and exploring, is it a place I'd like to experience and does it make a strong positive connection?
Next up is sculpture made from paper, wood, glass and fiber clay which are either painted realistically with acrylic paint or given an all over bronze look.
The sculpture process begins with a study of the skeleton and muscle structure before building an armature which may include re bar, metal wire, wood and a stone base. I make the eyes with glass and when the materials are dry, I finish it with paint. For my animals, it is all about the face and the expression seen in the eyes. They get a name if I'm going to keep it or the collector who purchases it gets naming rights. The animals do not require food or water and sit quietly on your table or shelf.
“When life gives you lemons…paint them!”
www.heibelgallery.com
Each painting I do is an experiment in materials, subject, application process or presentation. I call my approach expressive experimentation. Through these paintings I translate landscape and deep space into scenes that explore new territory, created on canvas, paper or wood.
An ongoing series is based on thought provoking images from the Hubble Space Telescope of nebulae, galaxies, dark matter, stars and planet systems. I'm also creating new abstracts and insects with hand-made papers, metal leaf and other mixed media. The complex surfaces have considerable tactile qualities that create a greater illusion of color depth than most other paint applications.
Before calling a painting finished, it first needs to be technically sound and most importantly, it needs to be engaging. I ask; is it something I want to keep looking at and exploring, is it a place I'd like to experience and does it make a strong positive connection?
Next up is sculpture made from paper, wood, glass and fiber clay which are either painted realistically with acrylic paint or given an all over bronze look.
The sculpture process begins with a study of the skeleton and muscle structure before building an armature which may include re bar, metal wire, wood and a stone base. I make the eyes with glass and when the materials are dry, I finish it with paint. For my animals, it is all about the face and the expression seen in the eyes. They get a name if I'm going to keep it or the collector who purchases it gets naming rights. The animals do not require food or water and sit quietly on your table or shelf.
“When life gives you lemons…paint them!”
www.heibelgallery.com