Heather Tinkham - Minneapolis, MN
LIA, Boundary Keeper We talk about setting boundaries for what is acceptable in our lives, but life has a way of challenging our preferences. Part of an art practice is deciding what needs to be in a piece of work and what does not belong or does not add to the expression; in other words, what is inside the boundary of the piece or not. Lia reminds us that practicing intention in setting and keeping our boundaries, both in art and in life, is not only justified but also critical to our voice. She lays down the lines for the Sister Posse and defends them. I use the lure of soft, familiar fiber to draw people closer, to bring out their desire to touch. I use color in all its rich, lush, vibrancy to smooth the journey inward, exciting their visual interest. I use the gentle sounds of lyric story in their heads, in their own internal voice, to add detail and context to the questions. I use contrasts and twists of perspective to surprise and poke at assumptions. I use familiar doors and hints of safety to entice my visitors close enough to consider my provocations in a way that they may be more easily heard. My art fills the garden of my soul; it is a place of depth, layers, contrasts, and balances. It changes and swells, as any garden does, and plays with the senses, the mind, and our very beings. It calls us to settle for a while, and to simply be. It welcomes us from where we are, and accepts that we will move on. It freely offers gifts of the heart and seeds of presence in the moment. I create fiber / mixed media 2D and 3D art to express aspects of our deeply human experiences in their conflicting yet intimately integrated ways. In developing art for our environments and our bodies, These unique, one of a kind pieces are designed to intrigue and capture your imagination. My art challenges the labels we so heavily rely on, focusing on the core essence of issues, and bringing more honesty and authenticity into a world that is increasingly busy and chaotic. Ideally, my pieces end up like drops of water at the intersections of a grand spider web, magnifying the heart of the matter and focusing our attention on questions that are not easily answered yet draw us closer with their haunting familiarity. My art practices include experimentation, learning, failing, expression, discovery, analysis, and observation. I see life as a balanced system of opposites that sustain growth and evolution rather than any single best solution. That plays out in my work through complex layers and contrasting, interwoven media that reflect our reality. It is also evident in my ongoing research into new media and techniques to more fully express my intentions. My inspirations come from a deep love of nature and my time in places that are still raw and underdeveloped. My travels range throughout North America, from Minnesota’s Northshore of Lake Superior to the Monterey coast of California, and from the mountains and rocky beaches of New England to the swampy bogs of Florida. I am fascinated by the adaptations and diversity of our ecosystems and awed by our small place in the evolution of the world as a whole. My studies of human biases and perceptions are blended over these inspirations, leading me to consider questions of our core essences in the face of surface impressions. It’s a captivating journey that I truly love sharing through my art. |
The Tear Gatherer
Paunna Lacrima calls forth our tears, harvesting the richness of them, spreading the bounty to our roots to feed healing and growth. We weep for those we love, both in joy and in loss, releasing emotions that come from deep within. We weep for ourselves, faced with more than we can absorb. It is good, and necessary – a part of who we are. Those things that strike us hard enough to bring forth the tears add to the bones of our history and, therefore, our future. Paunna knows this. 
The Care-Taker
M‘Lee is a steward of the earth, a mother, a creator of abundance for those around her. She watches quietly yet with fierce protectiveness over the resources we all must share, able to be pointed when she must but with a flair for the generously gracious. We think of an “earth mother” as green and bountiful, yet the rock and sand of the desert provide a necessary balance. In the desert, you are brought down to what you really need to get by. It is not so much as seem to think, but it does require us to take care. 
Lady Gallia Deep, mysterious, and powerful. Lady Gallia knew her own mind quite well, thank you very much. You could never be quite sure when she might get just a little bit out of control. She kind of liked it that way. 
Aoife, Shield Woman Warrior
Aoife was an ancient Celtic warrior woman, renowned for her fierceness. This particular Aoife is the captain of the Sister Posse, a band of widely diversely talented women who compliment, support, and defend each other and those around them. Built of a soft, natural core of wool, yet bound by the strength of steel, she is at home in her strength while unapologetic about essence. Some may find her confidence just a little unnerving. |