Intertwined Exhibit video and catalog

I made a video documenting the Intertwined: fiber, process, dialog exhibit that I participated in this summer.

Intertwined exhibit video featuring the artwork of Jennifer Reifsneider and Heidi Marie Faessel

There’s so much work that goes into creating an exhibit, and then it’s over so quickly. Making this video helps to preserve the experience, our effort and our intent.

In addition, Refuge Gallery was kind enough to put together a catalog for the exhibit, that included an essay by Jenny Bevill, discussing the history of fiber art in Basin, Montana.

My first public speaking event!

I did something fun and scary! Thank you to Kalispell Pecha Kucha for inviting me to participate in their recent Volume 8 Art + Design speaker series. It was exciting to see the amazing community turnout (250 people, I’m guessing), to be included with a wonderful group of local creatives, and especially to be pushed outside my comfort zone! My 6 minute talk focused my background in design, into the artwork I’m making today. The recording can be found here.

Exciting news! 2024 solo exhibit at The Holter Museum of Art

I’m very excited to share with you that I just signed a contract with the Holter Museum of Art in Helena Montana for a solo exhibit in the Autumn of 2024! I submitted a proposal featuring my sculpture and textile works made from salvaged and everyday materials.

I really enjoy visiting the Holter when I’m in Helena because I find the variety of programming quite interesting and thought-provoking, and I leave inspired! I’m really looking forward to working with them!

Intertwined: fiber, process, dialog ~ Refuge Gallery, Basin, MT May 4 - June 25, 2022

This summer I had the wonderful opportunity to have a 2-person exhibit with Missoula-based, contemporary fiber artist Jennifer Reifsneider. It was a very rewarding experience to exhibit with such an established artist, as well as to foster friendships with the amazing group of women behind the exhibit and the gallery.  (Refuge Gallery is located at the Montana Artists Refuge)

Intertwined - west wall

Intertwined - facing north

Intertwined- back wall

textile piece chosen for traveling group exhibit

One of my textile works will be included in a traveling exhibit titled “Co-Flourish.” The exhibit was spearheaded by Open Air, a Montana-based residency program that I participated in during the Pandemic.

front

detail - front

back detail

artist modeling the piece

The piece will be traveling to 4 different locations over the next 2 years.

• Schoolhouse History & Art Center, Colstrip MT
  August 1 – September 16, 2022.

• MonDak Heritage Center, Sidney MT
  February 1 – April 1, 2023.

• Hockaday Art Museum, Kalispell MT
  September 27 – December 16, 2023

• Holter Museum of Art, Helena MT
  January 5 - March 24, 2024

New work available at Walking Man Frame Shop and Gallery

I have new paintings available at The Walking Man Frame Shop and Gallery in Whitefish, Montana.

If you’re around July 1st, Thursday, 6-9 PM, come down for the downtown Whitefish Gallery Nights Art Walk, I’ll be there.

Remote Artist Residency during the Covid-19 Pandemic

This summer I had the opportunity to participate in a collaborative, but remote, artist residency with Open Air, a Montana-based artist residency program. During the most intense period of social isolation, I worked together, but apart from, the other artists in the program.

I spent the summer in nearby forests foraging natural materials, collecting discarded natural fiber cloth, and learning how to dye the material with dyestuff that I made from natural items I collected. Culminating in a wearable art garment from the dyed textiles.

The residency concluded with an online group exhibition, which you can view here.

Come join me at Kalico Art Center's first Saturday Session

I’m excited to share that I will be the guest artist at Kalico Art Centers Saturday Sessions November 14th, 2020 11-1 pm.

I will be doing a short talk on the making of my Downtown Stories sculpture project. In addition, I will invite each participant to make a tabletop version of their own to take home. It’s open to all ages, and it’s FREE.

Saturday Sessions are education-based opportunities inviting the community to meet and make with local contemporary artists.

I hope you’ll join us.

"Downtown Stories" Community Art Collaboration

This Autumn I participated in Kalico Art Center’s “Downtown Stories” community art project. The premise was to match up local artists with local businesses. The artist would create an art installation that visually tells the story of the business and the art would be placed in the windows of the businesses. Kalico created a map for the community to come out and see the art installations and learn more about the downtown businesses in their community.

It was a wonderful experience for me. I loved getting to know the folks at Montana Modern Fine Art Gallery, (whom I was matched up with), meeting the other artists who participated, and learning more about the back story of the businesses that took part in the project.

My artist journey profiled in 406 Woman Magazine

Thank you, thank you 406 Woman Magazine for sharing my creative journey and featuring my work in the summer issue. What an honor to be profiled!

"Deep Time" painting included in online exhibit

I’m excited and delighted that my painting “Deep Time” has been included in the Summer online exhibit Congruence, brought to you by I Like Your Work Podcast. This exhibit was juried and curated by Bridgette Mayer of Bridgette Mayer Gallery. I’m so happy to have my work included among so many talented and visionary artists.

©Heidi Marie Faessel “Deep Time” 2020 48 x 60” acrylic, graphite, pastel, colored pencil on canvas

Quarantine Dreams - Thank You for joining us opening night!

Just wanted to take a moment to honor the collective efforts of everyone involved in our Quarantine Dreams exhibit.

I’m feeling so proud of my fellow artist friends and the incredible work they created for this show!

Also, I’m feeling so grateful to curator Jenny Bevill for leading and shaping this year-long collaboration.

Thank you to everyone who reserved a time slot and joined us in person opening night, and to the really lovely support of the community overall.

And my gratitude runs deep to Kalico Art Center, Alisha and Miche, for going above and beyond, to ensure the success of this, their inaugural exhibit. Their support and professionalism has made this such a wonderful experience!

Thank you Andrea Catherine for the wonderful group photo.

Visit the exhibit (it will be up all summer), or go to Kalicoartcenter.com to view the work, watch video interviews, and to purchase the art online.

Quarantine Dreams - five artists respond to a pandemic

I’m really excited to be participating in Kalico community art center inaugural exhibit this summer. If you're in Kalispell this summer, please visit this brand new community arts center on Main Street. We are very excited to welcome this new organization to the Flathead Valley!

photo credit: Andrea Catherine

Intensive Winter Art Residency

This winter I had the exciting opportunity to occupy a fantastic industrial style studio space, minutes from my home! I treated it like an artist residency, working 6 days a week, not wanting to waste a minute of this wonderful studio space.

My intention was to explore some new materials and techniques, as well as scale up my work. I figured that if everything went really well, upon departure I might have a new body of work. At the very least, I would have expanded my knowledge base, my artistic toolbox, and my studio practice.

Working in a large space, turned out to be a game-changer. One benefit was that I could investigate multiple ideas, materials, and techniques simultaneously. I rotated through many canvases and continued to develop my ideas with soft fiber sculpture that I began last year. In addition, I took a few detours, playing with encaustic monotypes for the first time and working on paper.

Without question, the number one benefit was the ability to see how all the work related to each other as I moved along. For me, this was very informative and helped me to make decisions that I felt strengthened the direction of the work as I moved forward.

Upon departure, I had a solid group of about 12 paintings that held together as a new series, as well as, couple of fiber pieces that I was happy with.

Next, I will be photographing the work, naming each piece, and updating my website. I’m grateful for the opportunities lined up to show my work this summer. More on that later.... 

"Red Rain" will be included in Missoula Art Museum annual benefit auction

I’m super excited to share that my painting “Red Rain” will be included in the Missoula Art Museum 2020 Annual Benefit Auction. Also, new this year - an online bidding system, so check out their website for the details.

See the entire Art Auction Exhibit at the museum Jan. 3 - Jan. 23.

The Benefit Auction will be held on February 3, 2020.

SOLD ©Heidi Marie Faessel 2019 24” x 36” acrylic, pastel, colored pencil, graphite on canvas

Sensing the Wild at Walking Man Gallery and Frame shop August 1-31, 2019

Thank you to the Walking Man Gallery and Frame Shop for inviting me to be their featured artist this August. What fun to participate in the Whitefish Gallery Nights Art walk. Many thanks to all my friends and the local community for their support, and for coming out to celebrate the arts. Also sending a special thanks to Tim Matdies and Kenny Sedaerdahl for contributing their musical talents to make this night especially fun.

Announcing- 'Sensing the Wild' art exhibit Whitefish, Montana

Please join me! I’m really excited to share that I will be exhibiting my recent paintings at the Walking Man Frame Shop and Gallery August 1-31, 2019

Whitefish Pilot Article: Sacred Contracts Exhibit in the news

CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS COLLABORATE FOR POP-UP EXHIBIT

Special thanks to our local newspaper, the Whitefish Pilot, for shining the spotlight on our Sacred Contracts art exhibit. Much appreciation to reporter Heidi Desch, who spent time with us talking about this Flathead Women in the Arts one-night-only pop-up art exhibit.

Sacred Contracts Pop Up Art Exhibit - One Night Only

“Strength meets fragility, vulnerability meets hope, and grief meets healing: Sacred Contracts is a

snapshot of contemporary art making in the Flathead Valley. The abstract and conceptual works in the

exhibition deconstruct objects, language, and memory, while weaving together messages of hope,

grief, love, bearing witness, and matters of conscience. The artists showcase a diverse range of

media: paint, collage, fiber, natural and found materials, sculpture, photography, and poetry, and the

works vary in scale from hand-held to a full wall installation. These very diverse pieces come together

to create a landscape of healing.”

Life lesson: Finding meaning vs. making meaning

simply, the active, daily practice of choosing with intention, where we place our attention and invest our time

Today I was listening to a talk (How to Create Fearlessly) by creativity coach Eric Maisel. He said something that really got my attention. He was talking about the difference between “searching for meaning” and “making meaning” in our lives.

The difference is that in the former, we are looking outside of ourselves for something that might bring a sense of intellectual understanding. The latter, puts the responsibility directly on us, to examine our daily choices, and actively choose things that provide meaning.

He suggests making a personal list (menu) of meaningful things upon which to draw from, to ensure that we’re creating the meaningful life we desire.

For each of us, our lists will look different. The idea is to become conscious of our daily choices and recognize that choosing to talk on the phone with a good friend might provide a more meaningful experience than scrolling through social media or clicking through headlines promising 100 ways to become thin, attractive and rich.

I plainly realized that all of my life I’ve been searching for meaning. Although I’ve encountered mountains of collective wisdom, none of that will make my life as meaningful as the simple daily practice of choosing with intention, where I place my attention and invest my time.

I love that we can learn from each other. By sharing stories like these, I hope that a ripple of goodness will extend from me to you and beyond.