Gallery

Heidrun Vilz Heim

The Native Americans I choose to portray cross many generations and many indian tribes. Their emotion, sadness, strength and integrity are particularly revealed in the eyes and in the gaze. The spirituality of the Native American runs deep. They are our ancestors and our legacy.

Some portraits are of a historical nature such as the great Seneca Chief Red Jacket (1758-1830), an ardent advocate of the Native American mode of life and brilliant orator during the War of 1812. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), the lily of the Mohawks taught children and the sick near Montreal and is now being considered for canonization. Others are more recent such as the portrait of George Jacobs Boyer (1926-) who worked with many other Mohawk ironworkers from Kahnawakee, Quebec, Canada and are famous for building many skyscrapers in Manhattan.

I first began working in porcelain 20 years ago but found using the clay medium facilitated the ability to manipulate and maximize the plasticity needed for portrait sculpting. My pieces are formed out of clay, cut in half and fired. A patina is added onto the surface and the portrait is then placed on a base that relates to their connection with the land or their chosen profession.

Heidrun offers classes in modeling at her studio in East Amherst. For information call 691-6861.