Heather Nuber
she/they
Saint Paul, MN, USA
Heather Nuber is a queer interdisciplinary artist/instructor with a focus in contemporary jewelry, textiles, and sculpture. She received her MFA from Indiana University, and BFA in Metalsmithing from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. They studied at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Penland School of Craft, Peters Valley School of Craft, and Touchstone Center for Crafts. Heather has exhibited work nationally and internationally, and done residencies at Gallery 2052, Torched, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, The Birdsell Project, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Peninsula School of Art, Penland School of Craft, and the Smitten Forum. Heather is an instructor at the Toolbox Collective in Minneapolis. MN, teaching various disciplines. They have taught at PennWest University (formerly Edinboro University,) Indiana University, Indianapolis Art Center, Peninsula School of Art, Penland School of Craft, and Touchstone Center for Craft. Heather’s work focuses on the dynamics of personal relationships and social interactions.
“Interpersonal dynamics and social interactions inspire my work, and I express these concepts through the exploration of form and material. I use simple offset shapes that have been described as “soft geometry,” along with stack motifs to represent the one and the many. These forms and their relationship to each other are a reflection of our place in and out of community. Contemporary quilting methods, intimate details, and raw edges are incorporated to address relational characteristics, vulnerabilities, and all of our beautiful imperfections.”
How does your work relate to the theme connection?
“This work originated through the consideration of the themes of connection and constructs. Through a considered writing process, this body of work was focused on the prefix “inter-” and its ramifications on community. I began with material sketches, sewing bits of fabric together in ways that reference words starting with inter-: interfere, interrupt, intertwine, etc. Along the way, new methods of connection emerged; the mix of color, pattern, and texture came into the conversation. The process was repeated with creating forms that embodied these same words. Thinking about all the intricacies of human nature and interactions led the work in new directions. Intercession is the act of interceding, acting on another’s behalf. In the church it means to lift up another’s needs in prayer. Within the queer community, we often engage in mutual aid, wrapping each other in love. We come together and care for each other, which in turn helps us to care for ourselves more. Every piece of fabric and stitch represents our queer connection and care for another and ourselves."
What role does connection play in your creative process?
“Connection is at the core of my creative process, both physically and conceptually. I use the techniques of chain-making to represent human connection, as well as various stitching techniques to do the same. The way I choose textiles and other materials to join together, and how I build compositions are all built on the concepts of interpersonal relationships and community."
"Intercession", cotton, vinyl, natural dyed silk, embroidery floss, 7" x 18" x .5", 2024What connection(s) does your queerness make to the world around you?
“What once gave me a sense of isolation, has shifted into a beautiful sense of community. I feel a kinship to other queer folks, even if we’ve never met. Having a queer studio mate means that I have a safe space for creating, a place free of judgment on my body, movements, process, content, ideologies and works, etc. which in turn has made that relationship flourish into a trusted friendship. Choosing to move to a city that has a strong queer community, allowed me to make connections personally and professionally in the same manner. And finally, fully connecting with my queerness has allowed me to see the connections between my conceptual interests and my own queer experience, it has also shaped my sense of empathy and influenced how I move through this world and engage with others."
Anything else you would like to share about this work? This can be an important part of the process, sourcing materials, or research.
“My material choices are very much connected to my queerness. The mixing of materials, play with pattern, use of color are all choices that are made through the consideration of relationship, connections and identity."