We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Claire Heidinger. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Claire below.

Claire, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

During my undergraduate degree, I studied painting and drawing from a very traditional standpoint. I was painting these large-scale oil paintings in my apartment by the time the pandemic hit. I developed an allergic reaction to oil paints while working in the same space where I lived, so switched to water-based oils. However I realized that painting in the 2D realm was not totally satisfying for me. I wanted to engage with materiality in a new, tactile way. I decided to teach myself slip casting, a really complex craft. I read a book on the subject, watched a bunch of Youtube tutorials, and had a lot of trial and error. I was casting everyday food produce such as ginger, lemons, peppers, eggplants, and bittermelon. This craft requires an immense amount of precision in timing and measurement, and I was often not successful. I was able to connect with other artists in the community to ask questions to troubleshoot issues I was having, and spent lots of time scrolling through reddit threads of other craftspeople. All the persistance in this craft allowed me to develop this skill and create these new objects that became the root to new sculptures and installations.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have always been interested in this discipline since a teen. Attending an arts highschool, my teachers made an effort to take us to art events, talk about relevant and upcoming projects, and bring in guest artists to talk with us about their practice. This was an important step in my choosing to do an BFA in drawing and painting. This is where I developed the necessary skills and vocabulary for my practice. Minoring in Art History really allowed me to place my practice within a vast historical context of art, understanding the importance, impact, and relationships of art and the world. This is when I really dedicated myself to learning about the industry, and developing a deeper knowledge and philisophy.

I feel as though my previous artwork were answers or statements I had. But now I feel it is ever more important to be asking questions and being critical.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I do not see myself as an entrepreneur, but my creative thinking and philosophies have been influenced by artists and writers such as Sara Ahmed and Trinh T. Minh-ha. Specifically Minh-ha’s book, “Woman, Native, Other” that I have connected with deeply. Her discussions on displacement, cultural hybridity, fragmentation, and the complexity of storytelling relate to my own interests and experiences. These ideas have helped me to question, to deconstruct, to be critical, and embrace dialectical materialism.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

There are many different and specific resources for artists, some known and some lesser know. However one thing I wish I had done more of when I was younger, was talk to others about those resources and openly sharing what my needs were with my community. Those who care about you wish for your success, and building a network and support system is valuable. Additionally, I’ve come to see how important knowledge sharing can be. Skill sharing included, fosters collaboration and growth amongst your community– creating an ecosystem for resources, practices, skills.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.claireheidinger.com
• Instagram: @notyourclaire