Unveiling:
Saturday, August 1st 1-3 PM
Whiterock Conservancy Historic Garst Farmhouse
1390 IA-141, Coon Rapids, IA 50058
Free and open to the public.
Meet the artists, enjoy fresh watermelon, get a Poem & Polaroid from Lemonade Studios and tour the Historic Garst Farmhouse.
Facebook Event
Artists:
Jim Heemstra & Sue Heemstra
Site:
Whiterock Conservancy
1436 Highway 141, Coon Rapids, IA 50058
Open daily website
About:
The Heemstra’s Markers & Deep Roots installation features a series of five glazed ceramic sculptures placed along the Steve Garst Trail and town trail at Whiterock Conservancy. Positioned within the prairie landscape, the works act as markers for you to find as you enjoy the trail. Inspired by the act of mark-making, the sculptures echo our human impulse to leave a trace behind.
Like marks made on paper or clay, these forms become gestures within the landscape. Set among deep prairie roots and natural surroundings, the brightly stacked forms coexist within the ever changing environment.
Sue Heemstra’s preferred medium is clay these days, but she began with drawing and painting as do most art students. Drawing is still the beginning of most of her work. Heemstra made many paintings, but had a desire to expand into three dimensions. She took classes in fiber art at the Des Moines Art Center and at Drake University with Priscilla Sage. Eventually I took classes at RDG Dahlquist studios where she realized the infinite possibilities in clay. Today that is where Sue lingers, exploring hand building, carving, and again painting with glaze and underglaze.
Jim Heemstra is a photographer turned ceramic artist. He fell in love with art in college as a fine arts major studying printmaking. While in college he worked as a photojournalist and started a 50 year career as a photographer. Heemstra studied photography with Ansel Adams in Yosemite, taught photography at Drake University, and have been published in many national and international magazines. Now as a ceramic artist, he finds that he enjoys the physical connection with clay, and can lose himself in carving or painting the bisque surface.
