From 2020 Heather began dealing with a number of health issues, which brought a new ritual to her art practice. Through visual art, theatre, poetry, crafts and radio, she was able to translate feelings and experiences into visual and creative concepts as a form of healing.

Her visual style developed through journaling in sketchbook sessions. Documenting her situation with words, imagery and inspiration and turning the ideas into larger collages using salvaged materials almost metaphorically. Each piece is allowed to grow, expand and deteriorate, much like the human body and its disposability in the corporate world. With poetry featured in a protest manner.

As brain fog and illness began to lift, Heather attempted to understand her body and mind’s reaction to this new found clarity through sketchbooking.

During her research, she found psychotherapist Andrew Jamieson’s concept that dormant childhood creativity can be unlocked amidst “mid-life crises” and chaos. 

The feeling of returning to our the authentic, childhood state of creativity resonated with her situation.

She found comfort in the chaos of illness. The clarity signified re-integrating with society again and this came with a lot of fear and anxiety. This concept led to experimenting with comforting materials, including tufting.

The piece reflects on the space between clarity and chaos with a comforting, nostalgic fluff mirror that brings you back to the present.

It revisits drawing techniques from childhood to unlock her most authentic, purest form of creativity in the midst of chaos.

Materials: Wool, glue, tufting backing.