Heidi Kirkpatrick
Portland, Oregon

Global Warming

$1,750

To purchase this work please contact Laura at 23 Sandy Gallery.

I struggled with this piece for months. The day I was invited to participate in Welcome to My World: The Artists Take on the Globe I ran out and bought my globe. It sat in my studio as a constant reminder, staring at me from my work table. The ideas flowed, numerous ideas, not bad ideas, just not “the idea”. I would wake up in the middle of the night thinking about my globe. I worked hours and hours on previous ideas. Looking for a sign I turned to my inspirational cards, “Embrace Your Confusion”, now we are talking, “Express Your Creativity”, I am trying, I really am trying. Then finally, “Take a Risk”, out goes the photography! Then I read, “It is right in front of you”. I felt I already had the materials here in my studio. I am collector, a saver. I love breathing new life into old things. My mother had recently given me a bag of fur pieces, and then I decided I wanted to make a piece called “Global Warming”. I spent hours cutting the pieces but I didn’t like the way it was laying out. I decided to use one of the vintage coats from my collection. A beautiful black coat with a rip in it was going to adorn my globe. First, deconstruct the coat, then back to the cutting table and finally assemble. Who knew round was so hard? A huge thanks to Laura and Robert for pushing me. I also want to thank my dear friend, Pamela Morris, for supplying me with her childhood globe, which I used for “Global Warming” and yes, I still have my original globe in my studio. I now have a new idea for another non-photo piece, but it’s not round.

Replogle Globe, deconstructed vintage fur coat from Hamilton Furs, Portland, Oregon, paint and glue. 15 x 13 x 12 inches, 2011.

Artist Biography

Heidi L. Kirkpatrick, an established fine art photographer, based in Portland Oregon has exhibited widely over the last ten years. Kirkpatrick offers interpretations of the world experienced from a women’s perspective, often using subjects with whom she has a personal relationship. Kirkpatrick pairs photographs with found objects—children’s blocks, boxes, books and even old ash trays to create renewed objects of art. By incorporating figurative images and actual portraits, Kirkpatrick “reframes” these stories, allowing forever changing vignettes. Kirkpatrick develops her own images, including silver gelatin printing, alternative processes, photographs using a Holga toy camera, transparent images on film and 3-D mixed media objects. Kirkpatrick’s work is included in collections at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, Springfield Museum of Art, Ohio and The OHSU Corporate Collection. In addition to being an experienced mid-career artist, Kirkpatrick joined The Northwest Academy, in 2004, to teach photography at the high school level. Kirkpatrick is currently represented by the G. Gibson Gallery in Seattle, Washington, Panopticon Gallery in Boston, Massachusetts and the Jennifer Schwartz Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia.