A little about Heidi
After 25 years as a teacher I went back to school myself to study on the Traditional Art MA course at The Prince's School of Traditional Art in London. I had the most amazing, transformative two years there learning many new processes and skills. In my second year I specialised in ceramics and glass focusing particularly on traditional Iznik boat designs and on the stylized birds found in Cypriot pottery. I came to PSTA with a strong interest in geometry and stained glass and had the opportunity to develop these greatly, too.
Traditional art uses traditional materials and techniques. It also has certain visual characteristics that are the same worldwide, although the work itself may look very different.
Traditional art is:
Stylized – i.e. not naturalistic. It captures the idea or essence (eidos) of something rather than its outward, 'realistic' appearance.
Symbolic/Poetic – Traditional art seeks its fundamental principles from the natural world; its symmetry and geometry, and its meaning to us as humans.
Impersonal – i.e. not about the artist, but about the principles they transmit (although I guess it is about the artist when this is not successful!) In most traditional art the artist is not identified.
My studio is in Dorset, UK, where I spend my time designing, developing and making handmade items in a range of media using these principles.
