Orange Hair print by Heidi Brit Anderson

Heidi Anderson work is constantly evolving and draws upon many influences; from fine art to folk art and the everyday handmade. She’s come to see her figurative work in sculpture as modern day folk art. There is no single definition of what folk art is, but the definition that resonates with her most is as defined by the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico: Folk art is “of, by, and for the people; all people, inclusive of class, status, culture, community, ethnicity, gender, and religion.” She deeply identifies with this definition, and believes that it speaks to the totems/Protector people that she makes. But beyond being artful pieces, she likes to think of her Protector people as spirit beings; as altars and/or totems that serve as an emblem of the importance of nature and our relationship to it, and the sense of connection and appreciation that I derive from being in nature. She sees them uniting the animal and the spiritual, as well as the earthly with the mystical.