Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Rison
heather , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My favorite places to go in my 20s were local reggae/Caribbean clubs because the music was great and the clubs were dark and not too packed. One night, I was exploring a new local reggae club called The Blue Lamp, which consisted of one large room, but in the back, there were some bench seats along the wall, and there hung many paintings and drawings by local artists, my first taste of the local gallery stroll. I thought to myself, “I could do better”, because I was a little cockey in my 20s and I did some drawings in high school that were pretty good. I experimented with different materials in the beginning years, but when I landed on oils, that was it for me. I began painting pictures I would take at music festivals and doing commissions for friends. Fast forward 19 years, and just a few things have changed. I’ve studied with a few fantastic artists and explored other mediums such as ceramic figure sculpting and casting in bronze, but I always go back to painting a single figure or a single portrait, simple and straightforward.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Your 20s are not smooth, I don’t think for anyone! You’re trying to figure out everything! I got frustrated a lot. I wanted to make a living doing my art. I didn’t want to paint traditional things that sold; I was a little weird and wanted to paint things that excited me. This hasn’t changed! I’ve had different day jobs, but I always found my way, odd jobs that worked for me to have extra time and freedom to still do my art and still be in the art community. I struggle with paying the bills and making art consistently. I can’t make something that feels easy or that I’m not excited about. I wanted “to make it” so bad in my 20s and most of my 30s, and it never seemed like I would get my big break. I’m very hard on myself, my expectations for my work, and the quality of my work. Now I’m 39 and I’ve relaxed a lot, I figured out that I can be happy and make art as I please, and I don’t put pressure on myself to produce like a machine. I still think maybe one day my time will come, so why not be happy on the way there? I get a little sad when I sell a painting because they are all a piece of me, a snapshot of what I was feeling or going through at that time. It’s almost like selling off one of your limbs, and I think I should have made the price higher.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I would say I’m a figurative oil painter and sculptor, but I do what I’m feeling at the time. I dabble in other things, and sometimes I feel inspired to paint skulls with flowers, the occasional landscape, and recently some small animal sculptures.
I’m most known for my single figure paintings with simple to no background or nude figurative sculptures in ceramic or bronze. I mostly paint and sculpt brown or black people, so I guess that’s what could set me apart from what most people are doing where I live. Salt Lake is a conservative, pretty vanilla community, and I think I stand out without trying. I’ve been painting the same things for 19 years, and I don’t produce more than two paintings a year, but when I paint something or someone, it’s substantial, and it moves me.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I’m excited to see what the future holds for 2d and 3d artists. Many notable artists are emerging from Africa and other parts of the world, which excites me. Seeing new artwork that’s a realistic representation of black and brown people will hopefully push its way into the gallery spaces in the US and not just in the major cities. I’m personally tired of seeing the same things, no knock to anyone’s art, I’m more frustrated with the people in charge of representing artists and artwork. I’m excited for a more rounded, diverse variety of curated artworks, but who knows, maybe I’ll be the one starting the trend here in Salt Lake. God knows we need a space like that here.
Regarding 3d art, the tech is so crazy that anyone can sculpt now and print it out at home. Everyone is an artist or creator now, and trying to make it; I think it’s a good thing because it makes art more mainstream in terms of being an accepted career. Digital creators are paving the way for changing social norms for traditional work. The days of 9-5 desk jobs are ending, and becoming a self-made something is the norm. I love it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.risonart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risonart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/risonart/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-rison-a4273b158/
