Heather Day is an artist based in California.

Headspace 

56'' X 72'', ACRYLIC, spray paint, and charcoal ON canvas, 2017

ON VIEW AT HASHIMOTO CONTEMPORARY IN SAN FRANCISCO

 

UICA

A MURAL CREATED FOR the urban institute for contemporary art in Grand Rapids, mi

 

JOURNAL

 
Throwing it way back with photos from my first solo trip across the U.S in 2015. 🇺🇸🌲
The gallery is different than the studio. The white walls act as a platform to exhibit works that have come to fruition, ready to stand on their own. Without any distractions to hide behind, there’s a certain vulnerability in the exchange between viewer and subject. Seeing the works hung together, in conversation for the first time, provides a crucial insight into the larger body of work. It also redefines the individual voice of each painting, giving it context and reference points. The negative space in between the work heightens the focus on the painted surface, creating a silence that can be deafening. / Link in bio to read more from my solo show. - PS, I’m heading to LA this weekend! What shows should I see? What humans should I meet up with? I have 48 hours.
The studio acts as the experimental incubator, where ideas, materials, and processes are explored freely. More often than not, the studio is a mess - paintings are stacked on top of each other, notes are scribbled on the wall above paint splatters and peripheral marks that bleed over the canvas’ edge, blurring the boundary between canvas and backdrop. I’m constantly shifting between freedom and constraint, acceptance and critique. / link in bio to read more.
Last summer I went to burning man and I’m still finding leftover playa dust in the studio.
Using a range of medium from acrylic paint to torn collaged paper, my new works represent intertwined moments. It’s an emotional language leaning on human qualities . A clenched fist could be a tightly wound scribble or an emphatic wash of color. The drilling sound of construction outside my studio window translates through a distinct scrape of paint. Each work in the show represents a moment and combined, the works become a series of chapters narrating a set of experiences. / Link in bio to read more of my written response from my solo show in San Francisco.
My solo show, Keep Still, has come to an end. The paintings have been removed from the gallery walls, packed carefully into shipping crates, and sent off to their new homes. I’m left reflecting on the deep study of process that lead to this body of work - an exploration of how a mark can evolve and form a vocabulary built on a new language that is less literal but just as empathetic. / Thank you everyone for that came out to see my show and to @hashimotocontemporary for the support. Link in bio to read more of my closing essay. Photo by @3xw_shaunroberts.
It’s a good painting day when 5+ brushes are on rotation and I’ve completely lost track of time. Multiple brushes keep my thoughts flowing free of distractions and inherently provide a diverse range of marks.