Swirling colors of sandstone, lichen light moss green, deep burnt oranges, and brilliant blues caressed by the low humidity sweeping clouds feed my eyes with positive deep-rooted energy; this energy of spectacular views infiltrates my whole body. My senses come alive. I have been fortunate to explore for most of my life the high-country deserts of Arizona and Colorado.

In contrast to these dry and desolate regions is the tropical and lush ecosystem of Florida. The energy of green vegetation and the weight of humid air inundates the senses. The towering cumulus clouds were saturated fully with sea droplets, enormous, ready to release. The stunning blue-green colors of the tropical plants and the smells of the sea are intuitively captivating.

It is in these drastically different ecosystems I find thrill in capturing these images in my paintings. This is why I paint, to capture on canvas or paper my impression of how the natural world moves me. For centuries artists have visually shared the importance of nature through artistic expression. This humanly process is a visual capsule representing a time in our evolution.

For this show, I would like to bring together my impressions of two ecosystems and represent their beauty on large canvases. If I am successful in creating emotion on the canvas, my hope is it will translate or move the viewer. Collectively if we admire, love, respect, and realize how essential our natural world is to us as humans, then maybe we have a possibility of treating our natural world with the utmost respect.

Where the Desert meets the Sea.                        

Heidi Love Larraz is an American realist artist with a slight hint of surrealism. Her work is most often inspired by the natural world for it is there, in the outdoors, where she has found the majestic subjects that captivate her most. We see in her work the sublime power and beauty of nature, often used as a metaphor.

After graduating from Prescott College in 1991, she began almost immediately working as an intern for the renowned Sculptor and Master Potter, Heath Krieger. She was the only intern in Krieger’s studio for three years, which required dedication and hard work. Krieger’s approach to his art and teaching is rooted in Japanese tradition. Focusing on constant repetition, detachment from ego, and the continual awareness of shape. Beyond this technical training, it was a time to learn how to discover deeper parts of the self, identify how to grow as a whole person, and eventually convey that through one’s art.

Heidi’s artistic trajectory shifted into painting a decade later. She began exploring drawing, watercolor, and oil. She began studying and learning from Cuban artist Julio Larraz. The composition of his subject matter, the intuitive nature of his color palette, the constant discipline it takes to be able to convey one’s intentions, and the visual contribution to the world are some of the attributes learned from Julio. Watching Julio paint while discussing his perspectives and concepts has been invaluable for growth and understanding.

Working out of her studio in Denver, Colorado, Heidi continues to develop her style as an artist while pursuing the “streams of consciousness” that find their way into her mind and onto the canvas.
http://heidilovelarraz.com