The Ohio Artist Registry (OAR) is an exciting opportunity for artists to share their work, connect with the creative community, and establish an online presence—all on a free, virtual platform! The OAR encourages artists working in all art forms, throughout Ohio and beyond, to create a profile, which allows them to better promote themselves and their work. Being listed in the OAR provides artists with new opportunities to share their work with clients, galleries, patrons, and audiences. A listing in the OAR does not confer an endorsement, approval, or verification by the Ohio Arts Council.
For more information, contact Kathy Signorino, artist programs director, at kathy.signorino@oac.ohio.gov or 614-728-6140.
2024 Ohio Artist Registry Juried Exhibition
Heidi Clifford
MuralistColumbus Ohio 43215 United States Website: http://www.primarychild.me
Bio
Heidi Clifford is a muralist and graphic designer based in Columbus, Ohio. Since her childhood in Canton, Ohio, she has nurtured a love for color and art. During high school, she immersed herself in painting and drawing, referencing Paul Cezanne, Anna Bocek, and movements such as Fauvism and Post-Impressionism. She found that depicting hands and using expressive mark-making techniques drew her interest, resulting in a senior thesis exploring the relationship between the hands and face, and how they interact to show emotion. In creating this collection, she gained a deeper understanding of color theory and how to use it across different media and specifically how to use it within skin tones. Inspired from attending a pre-college program at Columbus College of Art & Design in 2013 where she took classes in drawing and graphic design, she felt that the latter was the direction she wanted to go after high school.
In 2014, she came to Columbus College of Art & Design, earning her BFA in Advertising & Graphic Design. Within graphic design, Heidi found that she enjoyed creating fonts and small-scale illustrations, as well as learning what it means to design sustainably. Since graduating from CCAD in 2018, Heidi has freelanced in graphic design and murals, working with clients across multiple industries. Murals have given her the opportunity to explore different painting styles and how to meet a variety of needs like interior and exterior work, and sign painting.
Painting has always been the cornerstone of her work, and Heidi continues to pursue opportunities locally and nationally.
Artist Statement
I am a muralist and graphic designer, influenced by florals, experiential art, and loose mark-making techniques. My body of work includes murals, small scale acrylic paintings, and digital illustrations. In my small scale work I often depict combination of flowers and people, using florals as crowns, bouquets, or other props to emphasize the subject. From my first collection of work – which focused on the relationship between the hands and face and how they interact to show emotion – I have been drawn towards this subject matter and continue to use these themes in my work. My murals are more graphic in nature and use my background in graphic design as a foundation for how they’re created. Using flat shapes, gradients, and lettering, I create custom wall-sized pieces for clients, designed toward their specific needs.
As an artist, I enjoy installations and large scale works, like those of Sol LeWitt, Mark Rothko, and Cy Twombly. Like Rothko, my work is a full experience for the viewers that does not translate well to flat photographs. After becoming a full-time artist in the last year, I am learning how to mesh the content of my paintings into 3D installations. As I progress in my work, I am emulating large scale muralists like Louise Jones, and working towards creating more experiential shows with murals and fine art curations.