Off The Wall Magazine Q&A with Whitney Heavey
4/1/2019
Maine. I was raised in the Boston area, Cape Cod, and Rhode Island, and am proud to be a true New Englander: a hardy and frugal nature-lover who can ski, shuck clams, navigate a boat, and drive in a blizzard. I love visiting family and friends in Maine, where its rocky and diverse coastline inspires my paintings.
Inspiration. I have been a painter my whole life, and capturing the emotional response to nature has always been my focus, with the ocean being my most important muse. I love the way nature surprises us with its dramatic color and evokes such a range of emotions.
Medium. I mostly create large oil paintings on panels, but I also paint with acrylics and watercolors in my sketchbooks and on smaller works.
Artist Hero. My grandmother was a painter and sculptor, at a time when men dominated the art world. She fearlessly explored many mediums and subjects, and I am inspired by her willingness to blaze the trail for future women artists!
Studio. I share a large and sunny studio at ArtSpace in Maynard, Massachusetts. It is a former middle school that houses about 70 artists.
Where in Maine. Spending time traveling along the coast from York to Kennebunk has inspired my paintings, with views of salt marshes, the contrast of rocks with surf, and the unpredictable ocean.
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