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Shelley Heffler

Visual Arts : Bas-relief , Mixed Media , Sculpture , Textiles ; Vinyl banner wall sculptures

Born and raised in the Bronx, Shelley’ s practice consists of blurring the boundaries between sculpture, painting and craft. A graduate from F.I.T, in interior design and C.S.U.N., Fine Art, Heffler’s oeuvre is informed by human engagements with the land and earth and a deep commitment to sustainability. The year she traveled to Europe and Asia, she experienced third world cultures like Afghanistan and India. On return to the U.S., her understanding of the world led to her interest in the interconnectedness of human values and customs in the world we share. Heffler taught ceramics and fine art of LAUSD for over 25 years and was an adjunct professor at Otis College of Art and Design. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Heffler has created several community programs. Among those are We are Home, a collaborative project where 130 quilt pieces were created by the public and auctioned to benefit the unhoused. This project was on display at the Museum of Art and History, Lancaster, California. Additionally, as part of the Artist in Residency at Inglewood’s Rogers Park. She brought the community of Inglewood together with her It Takes a Village quilt project. She currently resides in Palm Desert and has a studio in the Perez Arts District in Cathedral City, California.

Statement of Work

Artist Statement:

My work reflects environmental concerns and addresses what we leave behind on this planet. Our planet is over-saturated with man-made products that cannot be recycled. Among those items are hundreds of vinyl advertising banners whose purpose ranges from attracting business, to marking celebrations, to publicizing events. After their use, they are usually thrown away, often finding their way to landfills. Each banner holds its own cultural history. I attempt to encapsulate the significance of the human footprint through the transformation of each banner into works of art that reveal a connection between consumption and environmental waste. These reclaimed billboard vinyls are message boards of societies, conjuring both time and place through a physical presence. Each banner is meticulously hand-cut which fractures the initial image disrupting the central intent of the printed information. Colors are sorted and brought together as weavings, collages or three-dimensional wall sculptures. As I construct the assorted pieces, images disintegrate into complex abstract shapes and complex color schemes transforming the final piece to a new narrative. I strive to harness the transformative power of art to promote awareness, provoke dialogue, and inspire action.