Meet Whitney
Hello!
Living near New England’s wonderfully diverse coast, I strive to create paintings that reflect those stunning colors that pop up quickly, as well as the emotions that they inspire. As a child, my grandmother, also an artist, took me for beach walks where she taught me to experience and notice nature. In my studio, I am able to paint large and expressively with oils while experimenting with the emotional impact of light, color, and application of paint. In addition to photos, sketches, and writings, I also use videos in order to return to the moment in time which initially inspired me. I strive to paint the landscape as it made me feel, and not necessarily how it looked. My focus is primarily on my muse, the ocean, and its coast. I want to bring the viewer to a place in their own memory when they felt strength, relief, calm, joy, introspection or peace.
BIO INFO
Whitney Alexanderson Heavey loves painting the natural environment around her, most especially the ocean and its coastline on Cape Cod, where she resides full time.
She received her BS in Fine Arts from Skidmore College, during which time she studied for a year in Florence, Italy at Studio Art Centers International (SACI). After teaching art and working as an art buyer for children's publishing companies, Whitney started painting full time in 2005 from her studio at ArtSpace Maynard, MA. She has been juried into many selective shows, including at the Cambridge Art Association, juried by Nicolas Baume, Director of the ICA, Boston. She received a First Prize in oils at the All Cape Cod Art Show at the Creative Arts Center in Chatham. Most recently, Whitney was juried into the Copley Society of Art in Boston. She was one of 15 juried in from an applicant pool of 150. She is represented by the Munson Gallery (Chatham), and the Portland Art Gallery (Portland, ME). She paints out of her studio at The 204 on Sisson Road, Harwich. Her work is in many private and public collections around the world.
- I'm obsessed with floating in the ocean. I consider it to be meditation. If it were an Olympic sport I might try out for the team!
- The book, Blue Mind by Wallace J Nichols, changed my life.
- I have learned to love running (very slowly), though hated it when I was younger.
- Favorite movies: Il Postino,Fly Away Home, Jaws and old Doris Day/Rock Hudson/Cary Grant movies.
- Other hobbies I enjoy: cooking, birding (new to this one) and clamming.
- My dogs make me a better person. I've been mama to three yellow labs: Nauset (biggest), Fenway (medium) and Millie (current and the smallest).
- I have a talent for finding lucky pennies (and coins) when I'm running. I keep a large jar of them on my dresser.
- I love collecting beach glass and heart stones. Beach walks with my two daughters have been and always are my favorite.
- I like to sing and dance, but am quite challenged in both areas.
- Like so many moms, I'm really good at finding stuff.
- I actually like Necco wafers and bought a case of them when I heard they were discontinuing them...though these days try to not each much candy.
- Audiobooks have changed my life.
- I learned to Hula Hoop after age 50. Crazy, but once I stopped trying so hard, I totally got the hang of it!