A Heath is an experienced librarian, archivist, author, curator and artist. Her work in metadata management, archiving and product management spans over 20+ years across many sectors - corporate, government, publishing, healthcare, education and ecommerce. On a personal note, Angela is a designer, textile artist and painter. She also has been an avid jigsaw puzzle collector for 30+ years.
Forgive me folks…as I have not written in a while. I have been wildly neglectful of my newsletter. Last year was a bit of a rough year as my family suffered a lost and I had to take care of family business. As I grieve the loss, I cannot help but think this is a rebirth for me in all things. I want to make things simple and impactful in my life. What comes to my mind is just to keep working and keep creating. So, that’s what I will do. The new year is exciting and holds lots of creative adventures for me.
Earth Moving
(latest release from the Earth Series)
What’s happening…New Work
Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo) Annual Exhibition 2024…Earth Moving
Since I sold 2 pieces at RoCo 6×6 show this year, they invited me to send a piece for their Annual Exhibition. I was just finishing Earth Moving so packed it up and sent it on.
Earth Moving (2024)
So, Earth Moving will run for $300. As you know, I have talked about my viable pricing before which is that I adhere to practices in the studio that keep my prices lower and more affordable. I think this is important in this day and age.
The show is running – December 6, 2024 – February 15, 2025 through RoCo Art Center. So, you can purchase from them during that time. If you do, then 25% will go to support this art center and then 75% will go to my studio. It is really a win-win.
Studio Happenings
Website additions
Painting & Digital Surface Designs
Project section on the website
I’ve been pulling together materials to present as a “Project” section on the website. This is a way to consolidate the creative process and research projects that I complete. Check out this section here – https://angelaheathart.com/projects/
Opening my Painting Studio again
The last time I painted was in 2017. So much life has happening since then. My time lapse in painting wasn’t really because of being busy. It was because I just felt that I had nothing to say. My recent Earth series has really inspired me to re-explore some of the last paintings packed away in my garage. I have been sketching my ideas for what I want to explore with my painting in the coming year.
Working on new digital surface designs
My goodness, it has been a long while. Actually, I’ve been creating surface designs on and off for the past few years. I am finally ready to release a small collection of designs and prototype them as fabric at Spoonflower. I’ve been organizing my collections in my online Spoonflower store and working on branding my surface designs as a separate effort. For a long time, I’ve been looking to split off my digital surface designs and present them across various platforms. So more to come on this endeavor.
More Earth Series pieces
As of this writing I have –
(2) more 12″ squares to stretch on canvases
(2) 18″x24″ to finish sewing (similar to Earth Moving)
(2) totems 12″x36″ to finish sewing
Sharing what I’ve learned…
For me the mantra is simple – keep working and keep creating!
Learn by Doing – Commit to practicing your art
Blank Canvas – Starting without knowing where you are going when you start
Patience – Nurture your own ability
Wabi Sabi – Embrace the imperfections
Experimentation – Just try everything
Instinct – Develop a practice of trusting yourself again
No Mistakes– Everything is meant to be; no need to apologize for anything
[On becoming an artist]...become a blues singer - only you sing on the canvas
Released in 1980, Romare Bearden’s painted collage, Up at Minton’s is an homage to an iconic jazz supper club in Harlem, New York started in 1938 by saxophonist, Henry Minton. This colorful, vibrant image shows an African American trio of jazz musicians playing at the club.
Bearden called his technique collage painting. He started by collecting images of a subject from magazines, newspapers and wallpapers. Then the images were arranged and glued onto a large canvas. Finally, Bearden would paint in sections of the composition.
Deeply inspired by jazz and blues, Bearden loved to improvise in his art much like musicians. In becoming an artist, he would say “become a blues singer – only you sing on the canvas. You improvise — you find the rhythm and catch it good, and structure as you go along – then the song is you.” (NGA.gov)
Image credit: Up At Minton’s at the Flomenhaft gallery in Manhattan, NY. Art Observer, 2012
Bearden’s painting Up at Minton’s is based on the iconic Minton’s Playhouse, a jazz dinner club located in the Cecil Hotel in Harlem, New York City. The club was started by saxophonist Henry Minton in 1938 and is credited as the birthplace of Bebop (aka Modern Jazz). Since the 1940’s, Minton’s has hosted an extensive roster of players namely, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie. The club closed in 1974 and was reopened in 2006; closed again in 2010 to reopen in 2012. Today, under proprietor, Earl Spain, the new Minton’s Playhouse has an active calendar of today’s musicians.
Romare Bearden was born in 1911 in Charlotte, North Carolina and died in 1988. As a young child, he moved from the South to Harlem in Manhattan, New York City.
This move surely represented a 180-degrees in that Bearden was exposed to the vibrant arts and sounds of the bustling Harlem community.
As a growing teenager and young adult, Bearden would decide to become an artist; routinely visit family in North Carolina and spend summers working in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He went to New York University for schooling and also studied art history and philosophy at the Sorbonne in Paris, France.
As an artist, Bearden’s work is prolific and crosses multiple media such as painting, collage, and sculpture. This is among the many things I admire and take from Romare Bearden. It is that as an artist, you don’t have to be “married” to one media such as textiles or paint. Since art is about expressing and sharing your thoughts, you can represent your art in as many ways as necessary.
His work has influences from world culture, music, design, and life. Much of his work depicts African American life in the South and the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920’s which captured the emergence of the arts by African Americans in the United States.
Romare Bearden had great interests in celebrating and promoting the work of African American artists. He formed an art collective called Spiral, which allowed its members to discuss exhibiting art that would comment on the Civil Rights Movement. Bearden’s art career and achievements are something to be admired. His work can be found permanently in the Smithsonian Museum, Metropolitan Museum and many others.
I choose Bearden because he was a prolific artist in different medium. As he said – “become a blues singer – only you sing on the canvas. You improvise — you find the rhythm and catch it good, and structure as you go along – then the song is you.” This to me, embodies what I strive to do as an artist. That is, to step into the world I am purveying, learn the cadences to make the art tell a story. Then, I keep it moving. – Angela
I was first introduced to Jeff Hanson’s paintings when I saw his story on CBS’ Sunday Morning program. Around the same time, I was nursing an injury that stopped me from making my art. I was planning to give up on my artistic endeavors and then heard Jeff’s story.
Jeff was visually impaired since childhood, but that never stopped him from pursuing his passion for art. He became a self-taught artist, known for his vibrant and textured abstract pieces as well as stunning floral designs. His journey into art began at just 12 years old when he started painting watercolor notecards during chemotherapy treatments. It was a therapeutic outlet that would eventually lead to something much bigger.
By the time he was 15, he had turned his passion into a business, officially incorporating Jeffrey Owen Hanson LLC. Fast forward to age 20, and Jeff had already raised an astounding $1 million for various charities through his artwork, all while gaining national recognition in the art world. His impressive list of clients included big names like Sir Elton John, Warren Buffett, John Cena, Billy Joel, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., showcasing just how far his talent could reach. According to his website, Jeff had a special fondness for the color purple, often saying he lived “the purple driven life,” which perfectly encapsulated his colorful spirit and zest for life despite the challenges he faced.
More about Jeff’s art and philanthropy
In spite of his condition, Jeff developed his strong visual style of painting with heavy paste to make vibrant 3D effects. Similar to Van Gogh’s impasto style, Jeff’s paintings are loaded with piles of paste which make them come to life.
What made Jeff special and a standout was his desire to use his art to help others. As a result, his philanthropic efforts benefited over 200 charities from the auctions of his artwork.
Jeff received numerous awards including Young Philanthropist of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, People Magazine’s “Hero Among Us”, NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award and was counted in CNN’s “Impact your World”.
Jeff’s legacy
In his lifetime, Jeff’s art business raised millions of dollars from auctions and sales of his paintings. By age 27, Jeff had reached his goal of raising $7 million for charity. He dreamed big and left an even bigger legacy. As an artist, you cannot ask for more than that.
From the beginning, I’ve been tremendously impressed with Jeff’s art and philanthropic efforts. Most artists are just trying to make a living to survive. With a clear north star and support from parents and family, Jeff was able to paint his way to his goals. In his career, he had gained popularity with television coverage, awards; as well as meeting famous celebrities like Sir Elton John who purchased his art.
I have long admired Jeff for his spirit when he was alive and even more now. He is a true hero in my eyes. As his website states, he is “changing the world through art”. Jeff believed that – “Every act of kindness helps create kinder communities, more compassionate nations and a better world for all – even one painting at a time.”
Fortunately, Jeff’s work lives on as his parents have taken on the privilege of continuing his dream of art and philanthropy. As they paint in his signature vibrantly-colored and textured style, he smiles on them as he paints his way through heaven.
I learned about Jeff, his situation and his art at a perfect time. I was tired of art and was contemplating quitting my art practice. I was attracted to his use of color and heavy texture in his pieces. Also impressive was Jeff’s tenacity and progression in his art practice. He started from humble beginnings and grew his art to earn millions of dollars for worthy causes. Jeff was a philanthropic artist who inspired me to include philanthropy in my art practice. – Angela
“Intentional Art Making”…that is my mantra for 2025. Once a year, I make an entry in the Evolution of a Studio document online. I’ve been doing this for 20years !!! Read my review of 2024 and my commitment to my 2025 goals for my art practice. https://angelaheathart.com/2018/10/14/writings_evolution-of-a-quilt-studio_2004/
Earth Moving is my latest work from my Earth Series. It is 18″w by 24″h stretched around canvas. It contains the “Earth” fabrics along with silk ribbons.
I just mailed this piece to Rochester, New York for their Annual Exhibition running December 2024 to February 2025. I will post more details when available.
Here my statement on this piece –
The Earth moves beneath such as life. This connection is all that we have, all that we are.”
I have a piece from my Earth series in this year’s SAQA online benefit auction. It is one of 2 pieces called Desert Rose II. My work is listed in Section 3 of the auction and runs from Sept. 30 – Oct. 6th.
Desert Rose IIDetailDetailCloseup
Here my statement on this piece –
“Earth is all that we have and all that we are.” This piece is part of my larger Our Earth series which pays homage to the stunning characteristics of something gifted to us all from birth. The colored and gentle striations of this piece serve as a visual reminder of the beauty of the desert.
For 2024, my theme is travel and transporting. You can travel through time, space – emotional, mental or physical. I think that travel and being transporting is a fascinating phenomena of the human experience. For me, travel allows me to connect with my Self. By using textiles and colors that I respond to deeply, I feel a great sense of connectedness and oneness. Being an “Earth” baby, many of my art pieces feature some aspect of Earth and its natural elements – land, air, wind, water, minerals, etc. As I’ve been told in the past, many of my art pieces are “soulful” and invoke a meditative energy, a sense of peace and groundedness. I would include the Earth Series in this category.
Introducing Earth
The Earth series explores the representation of the striations and rich layers found the Earth. The natural colorations and textures are infinitely abound. With Earth, I felt that pieces that used fabrics of different colors, weights, textures would be so exciting to explore.
Initial Earth pieces
The first pieces for this series were released for the 2024 RoCo 6 x 6 event for the Rochester Contemporary Art Center in New York. I have supported this event several times in the past so it was my pleasure to send my first Earth pieces there.
I was so happy to learn that both 6″ square pieces sold in the first month of the event! There were over 5,400 pieces and mine were recognized and sold. I’m really grateful and appreciative of the love and positive feedback. Rochester is a great area for art and I just love being able to support these efforts anytime I can. Check out the story here –
The next set two pieces, Desert Rose I and II have been released.
The first one is available in the store here –
Desert Rose I (2024) 12″ square
The second one has been sent to the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Benefit Auction. This event runs this September to October. This is my first SAQA event and I’m so happy to make this event. I received a beautiful note from the Executive Director, Martha Sielman who commented about the beauty of the piece and that the colors and layers in it reminded her of the desert. That was a really nice acknowledgement of the piece. I think it will be successful.
Desert Rose II (2024) 12″ square
I am currently sewing on more pieces in Earth and will release them shortly. So, lots more to come. 💙❤️💜
My new series of quilted works that embodied the many layers of the Earth that we inherited. Grounded from my birth, I really wanted to showcase the beauty in the Earth’s different surfaces.
If you remember from my January post, this year’s theme is travel and transporting. One can transport through time, space and location. With Earth, I want to take you on a journey of Self through this beautiful land that is all that we have and all that we are.
Watch this video of my artist statement and first pieces coming out of this series.
RoCo 6×6 is a great event for the art scene in Rochester, New York. This venue and the area has always been close to my heart. I have just one other work there for sale…
At check out you may choose to become a member (thank you for your support)
Click on each of my artworks in the gallery.
Click “Add to Cart” on the artwork.
At check out you may choose to become a member (thank you for your support)
Choose shipping method: “I’ll Pick Up” or “Please Ship to Me.” ($9 US and $17 for International)
Checkout with your credit card. You do not need a PayPal account to do this.
After completing the checkout process and payment (major credit cards or PayPal) you will receive an email confirming your selection(s) and revealing the artist’s name(s)!
If you need further assistance with the online selection and check-out process, call 585-461-2222 during gallery hours.
Earth Moving
Earth Moving (2024)
![[INSPIRATION] PEOPLE – Up at Minton’s with Romare Bearden (1911 – 1988)](https://angelaheathart.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/image_bearden-bio.jpg?w=801&h=483&crop=1)
![[INSPIRATION] PEOPLE – 3D World of Color by Jeff Hanson (1993 – 2020)](https://angelaheathart.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/image_jeff-hanson1-1.jpg?w=298&h=452&crop=1)
![[EVENT] Desert Rose II still available via SAQA Online Benefit Auction](https://angelaheathart.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/aha_earth-desert-rose-ii_front.jpg?w=825&h=510&crop=1)
![[NEWS] Earth Moving – headed to Rochester, New York for Annual Exhibition](https://angelaheathart.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/aha-earth-moving_entire.jpg?w=800&h=510&crop=1)
![[NEW WORK] Earth Series – Connecting to One Self](https://angelaheathart.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/aha_earth-series-cover.jpg?w=825&h=510&crop=1)
![[NEWS] Earth I & Earth II mini quilts SOLD at RoCo 6×6 2024](https://angelaheathart.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image_aha_roco6x62024_sold_earth-i-1080x1080-1.jpg?w=825&h=510&crop=1)
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