Self portrait
Artist Statement
I am an artist that values BIG emotions, big stories, and all that is epic in the traditional use of the word. My work has explored love, sex, religion, and politics or anything else that might be considered off-limits in polite conversation. I strive to investigate ambiguities rather than play into black-and-white thinking.
I have been inspired by my childhood in an apocalypse-focused church, the constant stream of doom in the 24 hours news cycle, and the stark contrast between virtual and physical realities. The way paint can move, drip, or explode is undeniably satisfying to me on an emotional and metaphorical level. I have recently started creating animations as an extension of my studio practice, and am bringing the textured, physical, and hand-drawn aesthetic into my digital work.
Artist Bio
Heidi Neff was raised in the Chicago area and has lived in eight states. She earned her MFA in painting from the University of Iowa in 2002 and her BFA in painting from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1994. Heidi Neff has exhibited widely in alternative spaces across the country. She teaches painting and drawing at Harford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland, where she lives with her husband and collaborator, Paul Chuffo, and their children, Max and Maya.