TROPICAL HARDWOOD SCULPTURE

Sensuous flowing forms give life to dream-like images in the abstract sculptures of artist Heidi Hornberger. The creator's vision animates inspirations from nature, evoking a desire to touch the smooth contours and awaking a sense of imagination within the viewer.

Heidi's inspirations come from her annual pilgrimages to Bali, where her originals are created in clay and tropical hardwoods. Like many artists since the 1930's, she was attracted to the island because of its strong cultural emphasis on art as a vehicle for accessing the mysteries of life and death.

I go to Bali to be free from everyday distractions and to find easy access to the unconscious, from which my sculptures emerge. I have a passion for Art Nouveau and Asian Art, so my work is often an integration of western and eastern styles. The sculptures tap into universal symbols that reach across cultural and religious lines, drawing out of the viewer their own personal interpretations and stories. The beauty of abstract art is that it can facilitate this process of self discovery for both the artist and the viewer.

Heidi's wood sculptures often remain in Bali, where they are represented by Bidadari Gallery in Mas, Ubud. Others are shipped to her California studio where the finish work is completed. Most of her clay and wood sculptures are then cast in bronze and sold as limited editions in the United States.