Heather Talbot

During my formal art education, I found myself drawn to the parallels between eastern philosophy and quantum theory. I was fascinated with ideas of impermanence, the interconnectedness and interdependence of life; the fluid, changeable nature of form. I used my art as a way of exploring these concepts. I became particularly interested in matter itself: how tiny particles come together in almost infinite combinations to create the living universe. The notion that these particles are continuously moving, sometimes coming into being and/or retreating into nothingness; and the fact that they consist mainly of empty space, I found deeply compelling. I used my art as a medium for asking questions such as ‘What is matter?’, ‘What is permanent?’, ‘What is separate/defined?’

In recent years, my interest in eastern philosophy and quantum theory has been supplemented by an interest in deep ecology, systems theory and earth based spiritual teachings of indigenous cultures. I am constantly learning more about these teachings and my recent work has subsequently been influenced by this new understanding of myself as part of a broader, more than human community of life. I feel my relationship with the subject of the work has changed somewhat as a result. Now, rather than the subjects of my work being objects to explore, I understand them more as a part of my own larger body, full of wisdom and intelligence. I consider each piece of work I undertake to be an exploration into a more deep and full understanding of one aspect of the living web of life of which I am also a part.

All my work is very detailed, time consuming and photo-realistic. For the me, the time spent making the work, attempting to depict the original form with such painstaking accuracy, is a kind of devotion; a sacrament to the beauty and perfection of life in all its fleeting forms. Each piece represents one manifestation on life on this planet, for one moment in time, captured and examined with awe. They are like relics for a moment and a form that will never be repeated and as such, they are laments for what has been lost as much as they are a celebration of what is. I think of them as meditations.

In the last few years I have become very focussed on fungi as subject matter because I love exploring elements of the web of life that are ambiguous -they are the fruiting bodies of a much larger organism that’s generally unseen-, and essential parts of a larger system. We are learning how fungi are so integral to life and impact living systems in a multitude of ways. I love knowing that something so small can be so important.

Biography

Heather was born in a relatively wild part of Scotland were there was verdant nature all around her. It became her happy place to be amongst the trees! She has always drawn as a way of observing and understanding the world and although her practice has evolved over the years... from black and white, pen and ink drawings; to textured 'thread drawings'; to photorealistic needle felts... the goal to understand and accurately capture the beauty in the world around her has remained consistent. Heather graduated from Staffordshire University, UK in 2002 and has maintained an art practice in parallel with her other career as a therapeutic counsellor. She moved to Vancouver, Canada in 2011 where she still lives, enjoying the west coast as much as possible.

To purchase one of these pieces, please email us at geneva@gallerystrega.com.