Michele vandenHeuvel
"Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing."
-Marc Chagall
Mornings are the best time for me to be in my studio. When I open the door and walk in, the soft rays of morning light flood in at just the right moment and illuminate my sculptures and works in progress. I greet these and take a deep breath of the smells that I have come to know and love; bronze, clay, and wax. This special place, my studio is in the "North Valley" of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Adjacent to my studio is our adobe house where I live with my husband, Michael and our two standard poodles Iggy and Juju; the latter two are often my canine companions while I am working. We are blessed with two children, two daughters-in-law and two beautiful granddaughters. My dad was a psychologist, and my mother a potter. Both were immigrants (from Holland and Bavaria, respectively).
Early on in my life, I discovered an intrinsic connection between emotion and art. And that emotion, for me, has always been love. When I walk into my studio it translates into love. When I pick up a piece of warm clay, it also speaks to me of love. Creating work that draws the viewer in to a comfortable, warm, joyful and even contemplative place is central to me.
That connection, along with the influence of my parents, is one of the reasons I obtained a degree in Art Therapy, and worked with children and adults dealing with psychological distress.
My work encompasses both the liturgical (spiritual) and the non-liturgical, which includes my public artwork.
The liturgical focus leads me to sculpting with Christ, the greatest example of love, and is the reason I sculpt. I have sculpted for churches, communities, public spaces, and individuals.
I strive to create sculpture that is joyful, touchable and interactive, for both my liturgical and non-liturgical work.
I encourage touching of my sculptures by both children and adults, and especially love to sculpt fun, interactive work for children that invites them to touch, explore and experience the sculpture with their hands. These works can be in bronze, ceramic or other media.