Heather Fortin Rubald, of HFR Designs, ltd, packed the house for a talk about her “Away” art installation on Friday, March 10, 2017 at the Loveland Museum/Gallery. There was an impressive number of attendees, so much so, they had to bring out additional chairs to accommodate the crowd. The exhibition runs through April 30, 2017. Heather has a theatrical background; you could see that shine through during her presentation – what a pro! Heather created the skirt that she wore for the event and it was simply stunning.
I have been impressed by Heather’s re-purposed plastic trash bag art pieces for years. Keeping an enormous number of plastic bags out of the landfill is to be commended. I am intrigued by all of Heather’s work but my favorite items are her handbags. Her shoulder bags are beautifully designed, practical, last forever and are washable. I have heard that a woman’s handbag is totally filthy. This can happen easily from sitting your bag on counters and floors at restaurants. I purchased one of Heather’s classic black shoulder bags about three years ago. It is versatile, goes with everything, holds a ton of stuff and I can wipe it down without ruining it.
I discovered a handbag at the “Away” installation that I had never seen before. Quite opposite of my basic black bag, this bag was full of color and Heather named it the “Label Conscious Shoulder Bag”. It is time to retire my conservative black bag, I am going for the crazy montage look next. I will have to wait until the show is over to retrieve it, so you have some time to go check the bag out while it is still on display.
I was familiar with the exotic, strapless dress that is part of this show, “Before Midnight”. I believe that Heather actually wore this dress to an event. The necklace that goes with the dress is stunning. Heather uses old cassette and video tapes in her work. During her talk she explained how difficult this material was to work with. I can only imagine.
During Heather’s presentation, a bowl of circular pins passed through the audience and each attendee was able to pick out a pin that had an image of one of the pieces that were part of the installation. What a nice surprise gift that was. My favorite pin was the Pear. I give a thumbs up to whoever came up with this promotional idea.
In the center of the installation stands a huge tree that Heather created for this event. Look closely to see the tiny birds. I would encourage you to take some time and drop by the museum to see this installation – you will be transported to another dimension. We are so fortunate to have such a creative individual living right here in Loveland, CO.
All of the pieces in this installation are quite fantastic. One item will jump out at you, the Torso. This three dimensional piece must have taken hours upon hours of work to achieve. I know that Heather has questioned whether she is truly an artist. I am hoping that she is starting to get the recognition that she deserves and that is, Heather Fortin Rubald is an extremely talented local artist.
