Mary Heebner

Mary Heebner

Central to Mary Heebner's practice is her interest in the numinous qualities of the physical world and their expression in cultural and natural forms. The artist's inquisitive practice draws upon art of the ancient world and from sketches and notations made, often while traveling on assignments. The interpretative license of her work remains grounded, however, in a cultivated alertness to the distinct mythology, geology, archaeology, art, language and stories from each locale she explores. Skilled at the art of papermaking, Heebner incorporates her unique interpretation of antiquities,landforms, maps, and water forms to create sensuous abstract compositions. The artist uncovers a spiritual beauty in the earth and its history, and strives to capture, and in some ways re-create, the warmth and wonder its relics hold. Heebner has distinguished herself as an abstract artist, published writer and book artist, and her pieces are held in numerous esteemed public and private collections. In addition to her fine art practice, Heebner has editioned seventeen fine art press books under the imprint simplemente maria press, (est. 1995), two additional trade publications that pair her paintings alongside Pablo Neruda's poetry, and she has collaborated on three books with photographer, Macduff Everton on the landscapes of Patagonia, Chile, the American West, and Santa Barbara, California.


Watch an interview with Mary in which she speaks about her influences and processes, and muses on the “time-travel” of art: