Lia Sunshine ter Heide sees her work as a conversation between herself and the audience. She feels that it is important for her to leave space within the work for the audience’s perspective. Her work is interdisciplinary in nature, and she chooses her media to suit the needs of each concept as it is developed. She has worked in clay, plaster, wood, and fabric sculpture; ink, acrylic and watercolor painting; drawing, graphic design, photography, video, performance, installation, writing, and digital media.
For over 30 years, her default medium has been acrylic paint. Her paintings explore elements of pattern, texture, and colour which are frequently inspired by natural phenomena. She is fascinated by minutiae, drawn to oddity, and given to bursts of enthusiasm. When she is not making art, or teaching, she can be found enjoying time with her family, researching everything she is curious about, cooking with gusto, and taking long walks along the river with a camera. She holds a BA (1992) from the University of Saskatchewan, and an MA (1998) and MFA (2000) in Intermedia from the University of Iowa.
Lia on teaching: Studies have shown that arts education increases empathy and supports mental health. As an instructor, I aim to support students in finding comfort and confidence in their creative process, and guide them on the path to establishing their own distinctive and authentic artistic voice. Art expresses concepts which cannot be adequately expressed in another form. I provide the tools to possibility; the student brings possibility into existence.
You can find Lia on Instagram.