Featured Artist Heidi Pitre

Enjoy the quirky and fun portfolio of artist Heidi Pitre, and be sure to visit her website for more from this talented artist.

 

 

Some people work out their tangled relationships, hopes, doubts and fears in their dream life.  I work mine out with a brush and oils on a canvas. My pieces are excerpts, pages torn from weird short stories, partial conversations overheard at a party. The viewer is free to make up the rest. I have collected images and ideas throughout my lifetime:  memories of childhood, advertising themes from the 1960s and 1970s, vintage settings and items. These surface and reoccur in my work more often than not.

 

 

I would describe my work as literal, with something in each piece that is usually just a little “off.” The final image does not take itself too seriously, but the result is often more thoughtful than funny. In “Her Flame Was About to Go Out” the rubber gloves are a good example of that. Who uses dishwashing gloves to do welding in the middle of the night? This girl! The nudity is not intended to sexualize the work- instead it is used to add to the absurdity of the scene.

 

 

Initially I was placing the female in some type of questionable, possibly humorous situation.  When I put the yellow rubber gloves on her suddenly she turned into a modern day Rosie the Riveter. I want her to convey a strong can-do attitude to women and especially younger female viewers. They need to realize their capabilities and have pride in their skills.

 

 

Presently the “What Are You Doing Now?” series continues to grow. The girl has many more things to fix and tend to.

 

 

How do I get an idea for a painting? The main focal point or central figure of a piece will come into my mind, and the rest usually builds over time. The art usually doesn’t start with a message – it reveals the message to me. The final outcome of each image created desires cross-examination, hopefully at least a smile, maybe even a chuckle.

 

 

For the past 20 years I have made a portion of my living painting custom pet portraits. I love painting and I love animals, so it was a perfect fit. I enjoy doing them and continue to do so, but I decided to put my non-commission work on the front burner about five years ago. I’ve never been happier.

 

 

This June I will be having a solo show at Oddfellows Gallery in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. I have been chosen as the featured painter for Festival South. I’m honored (and super excited) for this opportunity.

 

Heidi Pitre invites you to follow her on Facebook and Twitter.