ODE : No. 41 by Heidi Almosara

In the exhibit, Ode: No.41, Heidi is inspired by her grandmother’s 1962 ikebana exhibition catalogue titled Sogetsu Exhibition No.41. Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging and both her grandmother & her practiced this art form. However, Heidi did not discover this shared connection until this catalogue was given to her a decade after her grandmother passed away. Pulling from the black and white aesthetic of the catalogue, Heidi created high relief ikebana arrangements that are all painted white while using the interaction of light to help cast tones and shadows. In addition, the black and white photographs of her ikebana arrangements balance out the larger white works in the exhibition.

Heidi Almosara received her B.F.A. from Texas Christian University and an M.A. and M.F.A. from the University of Dallas in Texas. Since receiving her masters, she has taught at several colleges and universities and has had close to fifteen years of teaching experience. Her former full time positions include being a professor at Auburn University in Alabama and Utah Valley University in Utah. As a multidisciplinary artist, Heidi’s artwork has expanded into various forms such as: serigraphy, collagraph, various paint mediums, collage, photography, site-specific works, installation, and botanical sculptures. An influential period of her life was when she lived abroad in Japan. While in Japan, she studied at the Sogetsu Foundation in Tokyo and learned the art of Sogetsu ikebana – the Japanese art form of flower arranging. She completed the required 5 levels of study to receive a teacher’s certification in this special art form and was awarded the Teacher’s Diploma from the Sogetsu Foundation.

Heidi also completed the 6-week MI-LAB Artist-in-Residence Mokuhanga Program in Fujikawaguchiko, Japan located next to Mt. Fuji. A recent publication of Heidi’s work can be found in the Reclaim book. She was selected for the 2021 prestigious international juried award and outdoor-urban exhibition known as the Reclaim Award. This award repurposes advertising panels and turns it into a space to display art on the streets of Cologne, Germany. Local art community memberships include being a part of Sogetsu Colorado and the True North Art Gallery co-op. Currently, Heidi lives in Colorado Springs with her husband, one year old daughter, and inquisitive French bulldog.