About Heather
Heather's art is her journey. Her journey is her art. This journey began in the small town of Wilmot NH. Four distinct seasonal palettes, a reverence for natural materials and the sense of quiet from her childhood continue to inspire her. Family vacations canoeing or sailing along the Maine coast, later kayaking as an adult provide endless inspiration for expressing her journey of life. During high school she apprenticed with local sculptor Winslow Eaves and at sixteen she spent a year as an AFS exchange student to Japan, two experiences that had profound influence on her artistic sensibilites.
In 1989 Heather received a BFA in sculpture and painting from the University of New Hampshire. She was enamored of color but did not like having a paintbrush or carving tool between her and her material. She switched to textiles and continued her studies at University of MA Dartmouth, receiving an MFA in 1993. While there she focused on surface design and rag weaving. She also studied at Penland School School of Crafts, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and Arrowmont.
Heather became well known for her colorful decorative textiles depicting staircase and doorways. In 1998 soon after her move to Asheville NC, she authored Weaving Contemporary Rag Rugs published by Lark Books, now an imprint of Sterling Publishing. In 2005 her book was translated into Japanese.
In Asheville Heather began to re-explore working three dimensionally with clay, then wire, then natural materials from her orchard garden. Each material is unique and allows her to express different aspects of her journey thru life. A recent exhibition included a wide range of materials including cloth, wood fired clay, wire, Plexiglas, found materials, thread, gut and natural materials from her garden. The vessel imagery and a sense of journey is the thread of continuity throughout her work.
Heather teaches workshops at her studio and at noted craft institutions, such as Penland school of Crafts, Haystack, Arrowmont, Haywood Community College and Warren Wilson College. Her work has been published in American Craft, Surface Design Journal, Sen Shoku Alpha among other titles. It has been exhibited in numerous venues including the Asheville Art Museum, Wustum Museum of Fine Art, Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Atlanta international Museum of Art and Wesserling Textile Museum, France and Singapore Art Museum. Heather's work is in various private and public collections including the Wustum Museum of Art, Gregg Museum of Art & Design, North Carolina Arts Commission, The Biltmore Estate, and Fidelity Investments. She has received a NEA Regional Fellowship, a TN Arts Commission Fellowship and two residencies at Centrum Center for the Arts (WA).
Heather currently lives, creates, writes and gardens in Asheville, NC. Her studio is on a bluff surrounded by an orchard garden and not far from the vibrancy of downtown Asheville. She loves to garden, dance, read mysteries, cook, canoe, kayak or sail and she uses her surface design techniques to polka dot finds at Goodwill. She travels to the ocean as much as possible.
Contact: heatherhietala@gmail.com