My work is about possibility, of what may happen, of a journey taken, of hope and risk of the unknown, the potential that any journey begins with and the possibility or opportunity of change.

Using the vessel to symbolize a journey and to symbolize the self, I transform my experiences of life and the world around me into tangible forms. Vessels are both universal and personal, metaphors for interior and exterior, for containment, for transport and for journey. Vessels; canoes, dinghies, and sailboats were part of my childhood. As an adult, vessels took the form of sea kayaking, weaving with boat shuttles and the collecting of seedpods.

I am concerned with memory and associations, identity and a sense of time and place. The sense of recognition, of history and artifact, mystery and implied possibilities are integral to my work. The form of the vessel is one of the most universal and yet individual forms.  Simultaneously archetypal and contemporary, the vessel form is my point of departure to explore emotions, ideas, relationships, rites of passage and other life experiences. My work strives to be open and suggestive, providing a portal for the viewer to enter with their own story, their personal experiences and journey of life.

 Contact:  heatherhietala@gmail.com