A Moment in Time: A Perspective of Choice Between Here and There.
Artist's Statement.
I have been creating art in many forms my whole life, balancing artistic careers in musical theatre, dance companies and fine art with an adjacent career in the medical field. Inspired strongly by the French Impressionists, I strive to capture life as it happens around us, with the changing effects of light and colour. I am an Impressionist painter working with oils and a palette knife to produce heavily textured work. I am interested in Portals in all physical, metaphysical and metaphorical forms, and therefore create doors, windows, gates and paths that entice you to wonder what’s beyond. Spring gardens and autumn themes also feature strongly in my architectural work. Contextual Statement.
To what extent can paintings of doors and doorways embody themes of choice and consequence, and can these visual representations inspire reflection on decision making, opportunities and the human experience of navigating transition and change?
The installation features two life-sized painted panels, sculpted to resemble aged doors, that slide open to reveal a hidden third painted scene. This interactive triptych encourages physical and symbolic engagement, challenging viewers to confront the concept of choice. It was displayed across three settings: a studio, alongside other artwork of doors, a gazebo with additional oil paintings of doors, and standing alone in an open space. Presented with slightly parted doors the intent is to tempt the curious to look closer, drawing them into a layered world of imagination and possibility.
This project employs the ‘Expanded Field’of installation and represents a deliberate shift from traditional, static painting, exploring how painterly concepts can extend beyond the canvas into a more immersive, spatial experience. The theory of liminal space informed the combination of elements of traditional painting with sculptural construction to create an interactive liminal space that encourages exploration. By transforming the static qualities of painting into an installation, it aims to inspire interaction with this symbolic threshold. The intention is to prompt reflection on the act of stepping forward, the hesitation to act and the opportunities potentially missed by not opening life’s symbolic doors.
Outcomes.
The outcomes from public events were very interesting. Those who viewed the studio display knew they were looking at another set of "Heather's door paintings". Most seemed content on observing the new medium and the realistic effect when standing back. Few even considered the doors would open. The setting in the gazebo was completely different. The majority of viewers assumed the doors were to be opened and completely missed the fact that they were paintings in themselves, therefore missing the painted triptych effect until it was pointed out. They assumed the doors were real second hand doors. The final display was in an open garden setting where the doors were a surreal installation. Viewers here delighted in the magic of the scene and "Narnia" was a constant comment. It was assumed these were paintings to be interacted with, and the magic emerged
