OCR Text |
Show id r? Sun Advocate Tuesday, November Section B 1, 1900 M InJ Juggling painting with being mom By BECKY MOSS She began her career painting letters on awnings. Now Price artist Chris Heiners paintings can be seen in Utah from Price to Springville to Park City, and posters of her watercolors are marketed nationwide. While awnings at her fathers company were Heiners first canvases, it was just twelve years ago that she began painting seriously. Living in Salt Lake City at the time, she enrolled in a community center watercolor class, taught by Utah artist Dawna Barton. I looked at her work, Heiner remembers, and I liked the feel of it. Her colors are soft and warm. Heiner feels that her studies with Barton were more helpful than the few art courses she took in college. Dawna used to demonstrate for us, Heiner recalls, with a hands-o- n technique which taught me a lot more than someone plopping down a vase of flowers and saying Here, paint this. It was shortly after this that Heiner and her husband, David, moved to Kansas, where he served a residency in orthopedics. Painting now on her own, Heiners work was accepted for a Kansas Watercolor Society show, and she also mounted a show at a gallery in Wichita. Then the young Heiners moved back to Utah, where David opened his practice as an orthopedic surgeon in Price, and Chris Heiner continued to paint for her own enjoyment. Much of Heiners time is absorbed in she family, church and school obligations is the mother of six children, ages 10 months to 16 years; she is on the Committee for Individual Development of the Carbon district PTA; and she serves as Relief Society President in the LDS Church. Im often frustrated because of time, Heiner admits. When family, church and school obligations conflict, its easier to put them first and painting second. She is quick, however, to acknowledge her familys help. The kids are all responsible for their own rooms, and in the summer when schools out, they do probably Dr. Heiner gets of the housework. kitchen credits : Dave is terrific. He likes to cook, and whenever hes around at mealtime, hell pitch right in. To keep her life in balance, Heiner gives herself an assignment to paint twice a week (During naptime, she says with a smile). For a time, Heiner taught watercolor painting in Price. A demonstration she did at a cultural arts event was such a hit that friends asked her to start a class. At first, one-wom- an " two-thir- ds Chris Heiner attempts to get a little painting In while taking care of her kids, she taught in her home; then when the class quickly outgrew her kitchen, it was moved to the LDS Stake Center. But Chris felt the light was wrong for painting, and when she was expecting her youngest child, she disbanded the class. (She has tentative plans to resume teaching in a new location after the first of next year.) Heiner has no plans to set up a studio for her own painting, though, since she prefers to paint in her kitchen. It feels warm and cheerful, the light is right and I can set up my subjects right on the counter. Heiners subjects vary. I like to paint flowers, she mentions. Not tight, formal bouquets, but loose, casual arrangements. When I get tired of that, I might do old buildings. I enjoy doing portraits, but I need practice in catching a likeness. Practice notwithstanding, the LDS Relief Society has purchased several of her portraits of young women, which are now displayed in the societys offices in Salt Lake City. Heiners pictures can also be seen at the Kimball Art Center in Park City and at Desert Shadows Gallery in Price. In spite of her success, though, Heiner feels she is not yet ready to enter the Utah Watercolor Society show, an annual juried exhibit. Gayla Pressett, owner of Desert Shadows, disagrees. There are a lot of artists around who arent as good as Chris, she says Her pictures have a emphatically. universal appeal, and a humanitarian, quality. It was Pressett who persuaded Heiner to have posters printed of two of her For Mama, flowers on an antique chair; and Just Picked, a study of daisies. Heiner took these to national shows in Dallas and Atlanta, where they sold well to the wholesale market of decorators, designers and gallery owners. Remarks Pressett, Quite soon, youll see Chris name become very big in the print market. And people who have one of Chris originals are very fortunate. In a few years, down-to-ear- th water-color- these will appreciate s: in value astronomically. Meanwhile, Chris Heiner continues to care for her family, discharge her obligations to school, church and community, and clear off her kitchen counter twice a week for a painting session. Pressett sums it up: There are those who think of Price as being out of the cultural mainstream. We need to appreciate the assets we have in our community. Chris is one of those assets. (Editors note: Becky Moss is a freelance writer who lives in Price.) Mckenzie, age 3, and Blake, age ths. dishes, she hurriedly paints for a few minutes before it's time to begin the next meal. Heiner 10 mon- she is more comfortable there anyway, Chris Heiner is shown here at her home with the finished products of her en- - deavors. Her paintings are on display throughout the state. Carbon High School student attends national conference WASHINGTON, D.C. Oct. 25, Mark Peczuh of -Price On joined approximately 350 outstanding recent high school juniors and seniors from across the country at the Fall 1988 National Young Leaders Conference. Mark was selected as a Congressional Scholar based on demonstrated academic achievement, leadership and citizenship. The theme of the conference is The leaders of Tomorrow Meeting the Leaders of Today. cony Throughout the six-da- ference, the congressional scholars will meet with key leaders and newsmakers from the three branches of govern ment, the media and the diplomatic corps. The Legislative Day opens with welcoming remarks from Representative Robert Badham of California on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. Later, various members of Congress and their staffs will discuss the issues facing the next Congress. To gain insight into the lobbying process, the congressional scholars will attend a govern- ment relations forum comprised of lobbyists from various corporations and public interest groups. To highlight the day, Mark will meet with Senators Jake Garn and Orrin Hatch and Representative Howard Nielson or members of their respective staffs. The JudicialForeign Affairs Day begins with a discussion on the role of the judicial branch of the government by William Bradford Reynolds, assistant attorney general. A special foreign policy briefing at the Organization of American States will follow. Dividing into small groups, the congressional scholars will visit the embassies of Belgium, Grenada, SwitWest zerland, Nicaragua, the Zealand New and Germany, Netherlands. Next, the scholars will attend their choice of informal foreign affairs seminars led by graduate students from Washington area universities. The MediaExecutive Day opens with a breakfast panel discussion led by prominent journalists who will examine the medias coverage of national events. The panelists include: Susan King, anchorwoman of a local ABC affiliate; Eleanor Clift, reporter for Newsweek; Jed Duvall, reporter for ABC News; Fred Barnes, senior editor for the New Republic. Immediately following, Charles Jarvis, deputy assistant secretary of the Interior, will speak on important en- that the department is addressing. At Arlington Cemetery, congressional scholars will place a wreath at the Tomb of vironmental issues the Unknowns. Culminating the national young leaders conference is the Mock Congress in which the scholars assume the roles of United States representatives by debating, lobbying and voting on proposed drug testing legislation. The conference is sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, a noneducational profit, organization. Founded in 1985 Barbara Harris by and Richard Rossi, the councils goal is to provide a unique hands-o- n experience in civic education. Over 250 members of the United States Congress non-partis- an comprise the councils Honorary Congressional Board. Mark Peczuh |