Heida Halldorsdottir
Handbuilding and Figurative Sculpture Instructor
I love teaching and sharing with my students. It is very rewarding to see how my student's work evolves throughout the years. The atmosphere in my classroom is very laid back. We laugh and share experiences and have a good time. New friends are made while we work. I believe that everyone can master hand building if they are willing to put endless work and time into it.
I have always loved art and history. I was also always curious about the afterlife. From a young age, I participated in psychic readings and researched literature about the afterlife and the journey of souls to the spiritual world. I had a strong urge to create, either with clay or textiles. My work is greatly influenced by my native country's colors, textures, and beliefs in the hidden world. I love to explore different cultures by studying cemeteries, tombs, catacombs, churches, temples, mosques and holy places.
My artistic concepts are developed through studying a subject and watching documentaries. I try to travel and explore sides that will inspire me. I start by sketching and often make a little maquette. Then I start working on the actual piece. I allow the creative process to happen while I am working. Nothing is set in stone.
I have been part of the Art Center West community since I moved here in 2005. Not only have I made wonderful friends throughout the years, ceramics has taken over my life. It is my main focus today. I love the location in the park and the natural light that is in the building. I also love the big kilns our students have access to and the different firings that are offered. Art Center West is truly the best clay studio that I have worked in.
~ Heida Halldorsdottir was born and raised in Iceland. She lived in Germany for three years in her early twenties, and immigrated to the United States in 2005. Heida is juried into regional, national and international exhibitions. She teaches figure sculpting classes and hand-building classes at ACW. She earned a BS degree in Biology and later a BEd degree in Art Teaching from the University of Iceland. In 2018 she completed her MFA degree with an emphases in Ceramics from Fort Hays State University in Hays, KS.
