James C. Heck - Sculpture

Biography & Philosophy :

Jim Heck, a Wyoming native, views life through the squinted eyes of a windblown plainsman, trying to sort out the sand from the sundown. (Sometimes beauty is not the only thing in the eye of the beholder!) The beauty of Wyoming is found not only in its majestic mountains but also in its harsh plateaus and endless landscapes. The same might be said of life, and art, as shown in Heck's sculpture.

As the son of an artist, Heck was always encouraged in artistic expression and allowed to use any tool in his father's workshop. From the quarter-inch drill he used to shape dowels into miniature baseball-bat lapel pins when he was 10 years old, to the chainsaws, grinders, and pneumatic hammers of today, Heck continues to employ any tool that moves or removes the chosen media into the final form.

Heck's philosophy of art includes an understanding that an artist is influenced by his environment, and his production is an imperfect report of what he has experienced in his lifetime. As prehistoric cave painting and petroglyphs offer insights into the past, current renderings (verbal, two and three dimensional) present contemporary reports of society today. Each artist/reporter will influence his presentation with his own persona. Some are conservative, others liberal, some base, and some beautiful. Some will render direct representation, others, impressionist, but all will reflect some aspect of the artist's life experience and his understanding of society.
Born in the 40's, schooled in the 50's, and educated in the 60's, Heck gained a view of our life and times that is reflected in his Dichotomy and Warrior/Contender pieces. These works show our combative nature without losing sight of the beauty and passion that reside within the personalities and machines of conflict. One might also observe in his Found-Object Assemblages an interesting view of man's effort to increase his advantage over nature while remaining subject to its awesome power. The wheels, levers, gauges and gears of industry have been designed by man to control the various energies of nature while employing aesthetics common to the times.

The materials Heck uses, his methods of production and elements of design, when presented as three-dimensional pieces, offer the viewer a glimpse of the past, set in the present, and preserved for the future.

Heck maintains a studio for carving limestone and marble found and quarried in Missouri, as well as sculpting in wood, metal, and clay. His work may be found in private collections in Texas, Illinois, California, Washington, Wyoming, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska.

Statement:

Art for me is the imperfect representation of life and nature as experienced by the artist. Whether depicting good or evil, truth or fiction, beauty or whimsy, it is my intention to soften the edges of my presentation so as to encourage the observer to become emotionally involved through sight and touch.



		Biography & Philosophy : Jim Heck, a Wyoming native, views life through the squinted eyes of a windblown plainsman, trying to sort out the sand from the sundown. (Sometimes beauty is not the only thing in the eye of the beholder!) The beauty of Wyoming is found not only in its majestic mountains but also in its harsh plateaus and endless landscapes. The same might be said of life, and art, as shown in Heck's sculpture. As the son of an artist, Heck was always encouraged in artistic expression and allowed to use any tool in his father's workshop. From the quarter-inch drill he used to shape dowels into miniature baseball-bat lapel pins when he was 10 years old, to the chainsaws, grinders, and pneumatic hammers of today, Heck continues to employ any tool that moves or removes the chosen media into the final form. Heck's philosophy of art includes an understanding that an artist is influenced by his environment, and his production is an imperfect report of what he has experienced in his lifetime. As prehistoric cave painting and petroglyphs offer insights into the past, current renderings (verbal, two and three dimensional) present contemporary reports of society today. Each artist/reporter will influence his presentation with his own persona. Some are conservative, others liberal, some base, and some beautiful. Some will render direct representation, others, impressionist, but all will reflect some aspect of the artist's life experience and his understanding of society. Born in the 40's, schooled in the 50's, and educated in the 60's, Heck gained a view of our life and times that is reflected in his Dichotomy and Warrior/Contender pieces. These works show our combative nature without losing sight of the beauty and passion that reside within the personalities and machines of conflict. One might also observe in his Found-Object Assemblages an interesting view of man's effort to increase his advantage over nature while remaining subject to its awesome power. The wheels, levers, gauges and gears of industry have been designed by man to control the various energies of nature while employing aesthetics common to the times. The materials Heck uses, his methods of production and elements of design, when presented as three-dimensional pieces, offer the viewer a glimpse of the past, set in the present, and preserved for the future. Heck maintains a studio for carving limestone and marble found and quarried in Missouri, as well as sculpting in wood, metal, and clay. His work may be found in private collections in Texas, Illinois, California, Washington, Wyoming, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska. Statement: Art for me is the imperfect representation of life and nature as experienced by the artist. Whether depicting good or evil, truth or fiction, beauty or whimsy, it is my intention to soften the edges of my presentation so as to encourage the observer to become emotionally involved through sight and touch. James C. Heck 1102 Verna Lane Nixa, MO 65714 417-725-6939 e-mail James Heck Home \| Artisans \| Membership \| News \| Contact \| Featured Craftsman \| Mission \| Links \| Members Only
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