We recently connected with Heather Duris and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Heather thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am the most fulfilled when I am creating something, whether that is painting, making jewelry or creating linocut prints, even cooking. When I was in college the first time I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to make a career out of being an artist. I also felt like I didn’t have the life experience to really say anything in my artwork. So I joined the Army as a Multimedia Illustrator, and loved it, but ended up switching from a course of study in art to the Administration of Justice thinking that would serve me better in a military career. I served for four years in the Army Reserve and then four years on active duty. The active duty deployments as well as the daily grind of working in an office eventually convinced me that I needed to get back to making art. I certainly learned a lot about people during my time in the Army, but it was also extremely stressful. After I completed my service obligation, I returned to school and studied painting and art history. It took awhile to get back to a creative state of mind. All that time during my military career I thought I would just throw myself back into making art once I had the opportunity, but it didn’t come easily. I definitely carried that sense of pressure to complete something tangible and productive from working in that high pressure environment, and it was difficult to change pace, slow down and tap into a creative flow again. Now my stress is self-inflicted, and I think that’s a result of having worked in a fast paced high pressure environment where results are absolutely the benchmark for success. So I know what a “regular” job is like, and sometimes I miss having a regular paycheck, but for my mental health, making art is where I need to be.

Heather, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I grew up in the Kansas City area, from a small town to the city, attending public and private schools, and then homeschooled all through high school. My college career has also wandered around a bit, from a private college, to part time community college, to two university degrees. Making things has always just been something I have been interested in, from sewing and crafting to drawing and painting. I remember knowing kind of early in my life that I would end up doing something creative, something that would come out of me rather than pursuing a career in an external interest. I do love learning new techniques in artmaking, and of course, trying all the art supplies I can find! I have made personalized jewelry and sold it online for the last nine years, and while that isn’t my favorite type of creative work, it allowed me to work from home with some income. I prefer painting and drawing and in the last couple of years have made a conscious effort to shift my energy and focus to doing that. Which means I have to spend more time applying to and preparing for shows and art fairs. My painting is inspired by the landscape of the Plains and I think a lot about the concept of land ownership, conservation and stewardship of it. I am always drawn to the abstract and want to communicate a feeling about our connection to the land rather than a reproduction of a landscape.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I think the notion that artists just “get discovered” is a false one that needs to die. Making art and making a career of it is possible and it is a lot of work. The first time I was in college I was scared I would graduate from art school and not be able to support myself. I really was not aware of the variety of things I could do with an art career, besides teaching, and I have never wanted to be a teacher. It was probably a combination of a lack of guidance from college counselors and that fear that led me to join the Army as a Multimedia Illustrator, which did end up being an interesting detour, but I have always wondered how things would have turned out if I had pursued an art career from the beginning and just had the courage to figure it out as I went. I have learned that creating the art career I want means making art almost everyday to build a body of work, as well as networking with other artists and learning from their wealth of experience. As an artist you have to sort of “get over yourself” and face the fact that galleries are in the business of selling art, and I provide that product, so it’s up to me to market myself to them. Whether galleries accept my work depends on what they think they can sell to their clientele. I don’t think artists should feel threatened by each other because we all create art that is unique, and variety and diversity in the art world only makes us better. When I meet an artist or see their work and start to feel intimidated by their skill, I try to change that thought process from feeling like we’re in competition, to asking what can I learn from them?

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think artists should be taken seriously. We sometimes have a reputation of having our heads in the clouds, but it is really about having a different way of looking at the world that is no less valuable than say, someone working in finance. I would like to see the arts embraced as being a vital part of every other industry. It’s time to leave behind a strict divide between creative pursuits and analytical ones. Creative problem solving is necessary across all disciplines and artists are the perfect resource for that. I think incorporating artistic presentations of science is extremely valuable in education, whether that is in a classroom or a museum. It seems like American culture in particular is so entrenched in this idea of right brain versus left brain thinking, but we are all going to suffer if we constantly think of life in either/or scenarios. I would like to see society embrace a diverse approach to problem solving in regards to real issues we face, whether that is homelessness, mental health, or global warming. I think artists should play a role in that as we tend to approach challenges from an organic rather than linear way of thinking. Part of supporting artists begins in schools, and keeping the arts programs thriving right alongside sports programs.

Contact Info:

• Website: artworkarchive.com/profile/Heather-duris
• Instagram: @heatherdurisart
• Facebook: @HeatherDurisArt
• Linkedin: @HeatherDuris
• Other: heatherduris.substack.com; geogalleries/com/Hduris