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

Heldegard, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I believe language comes in many forms, for me I’m quite mediocre when it comes to crafting words. Art is my way to communicate, where I can speak, communicate and connect with my deeper thought by telling my stories of appreciating nature and animals. I could almost say I’m in state of meditating or praying when I’m creating my arts.

Heldegard, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Someone gave me a book about finding Waldo when I was young. I was so fascinated by the detailed picture of book, I ended up spent more time creating stories around all the people, activities around Waldo. It was so mesmerizing and exciting to discover so many thing in single page.
I always drawn into detailed intricate work to create stories what’s around me, as right now I’ve been putting a lot of my dachshund dog as I found him so funny and comical. My arts are meant to be seen closer to the person, the more time you spend time of the piece people will discover more and more things to see, what’s hidden and soon to be discover.

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

Trying to be always in control.
Working in art especially in ceramic consist with 4 different elements: the earth, air, water and fire. Those elements can create a beautiful piece or completely shattered your art no matter how much you put the effort into it.
Thru this art form, I learnt to let go that I can control everything, and changing my mindset by embracing the imperfections and work organically. I’m no longer make a strict plan of what I’m going to make, firstly I would throw or hand build clay as my canvas, from the basic shape it will speak itself what the rest of art going to be.
And when comes down to firing stages, I just need to surrender 100% and let the kiln god take control (It’s an inside joke between all ceramicist that we all need kiln god)

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

About two years ago we recently moved to new town, there I saw a local non profit gallery where they held a local competition among their members. The shopkeeper inviting me to join in, I hesitant at first knowing that I have never done this before. But decided to go for it which turned out I won first place. This minuscule winning sparked something in me, to believe myself.

Since then I have been in several galleries including the incoming group show “Finest Art Showcase San Diego 2024”.

I learnt that even the smallest steps matters, stop listening to the voice of negativity.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: heldegard_ceramic

Image Credits

Heldegard Linggawidjaja Ceramic