Heidi Lewis Coleman-Abstractions

About the Book

Heidi Lewis Coleman grew up in Yakima, a small farming town in Central Washington State, surrounded by pear and apple orchards. The colors of the countryside were rich and warm, and became a source of inspiration for the many artists who made their home there. The pictures Coleman paints reflect that same earthy palette - the dusty browns, desert golds, barn reds and harvest greens. Yakima was named for one of the Indian tribes which has long populated its valley. Several of the artists Coleman met as a child were inspired by the weavings and basketry of the Northwest tribes. Their intricate studies of the Indian artifacts are imprinted in her memory and were the initial source of inspiration for her early abstract paper weavings.

Coleman has been exploring the vast possibilities of shredding painted paper, and more recently, silk, which she reassembles on canvas or board. By shredding two similar paintings horizontally and vertically, she can weave and reassemble a picture which appears to ripple and vibrate. With many of her abstract pieces, she has woven the paper into more complex patterns - patterns which contribute additional dimensions of texture and movement. This book includes the abstract work which Heidi Lewis Coleman has created during the past eight years, beginning in 1996 and concluding in 2004.

About the Author

I grew up in Yakima, a small farming town in Central Washington State, surrounded by pear and apple orchards. The colors of the countryside were rich and warm, and became a source of inspiration for the many artists who made their home there. The pictures I paint reflect that same earthy palette - the dusty browns, desert golds, barn reds and harvest greens. Yakima was named for one of the Indian tribes which have long populated its valley. Several of the artists I met as a child were inspired by the weavings and basketry of the Northwest tribes. Their intricate studies of the Indian artifacts are imprinted in my memory and I have included woven pieces in several of my still lifes. More recently, I’ve been exploring the vast possibilities of shredding, and in some cases actually weaving the paper: By shredding two similar paintings horizontally and vertically, I can weave and reassemble a picture which appears to ripple and vibrate. With many of my abstract pieces, I’ve woven the paper into more complex patterns - patterns which contribute additional dimensions of texture and movement.