My work investigates issues that impact me on a daily basis such as climate change, inequity, and the passage of time. I use recycled post-consumer and organic matter in conjunction with traditional art materials to explore areas such as the interconnectedness of humanity and nature, gender discrimination against those who identify as female, and the transience of life. I gravitate toward materials that show the passage of time, such as rusted metal and discarded plants. I appreciate the ephemerality of using organic material in my artwork, knowing that it will be temporary and naturally decay over time.
Cultural and historical references weave through, such as using fabric and sewing to discuss female cultural expectations. For example, I was given a small hand sewing machine which I incorporated into an assemblage with several Coded Language pieces, bringing the historical reference of industrialization of craft and traditionally female work in textiles. At times, I may not know why I am drawn to a certain material or item and the process of creating the work tends to offer insight into unconscious beliefs or unexamined feelings. My intention is to layer material and meaning in a visually pleasing and conceptually challenging manner, allowing viewers to engage at different conceptual levels.
In my Self Portrait Sculpture series (2023), I created a 3 dimensional form of my own body using plastic wrap and duct tape to mold life sized copper wire sculptures. I was drawn to copper as a material and realized, upon reflection, that it is found in the human body and transforms over time like living beings. I incorporated dried or dead plant material to highlight the interconnectedness of humanity and nature while also serving as a reminder of mortality. The body sculptures are the same dimensions as my body, a size 12, which is also a commentary on western beauty and the pressure to be thin and my acceptance of the body I inhabit.
In the Coded Language series (2023), I used recycled materials to create quilted squares with embroidered words that are often used to denigrate those who identify as female. I chose pastel colors, sewing, and cursive writing to comment on expectations of women in American society, to be pretty, delicate, feminine, and to blend in. Consequences of not following the implicit expectation include words such as “nag,” “bossy,” “shrill,” or “bitchy.”
As a whole, I wish for my art to engage and challenge viewers on several levels. I hope it encourages discussion and reflection on the unexamined, the difficult, and the uncomfortable as these edges can be emotionally and visually powerful.
Heather J Chamberlain 