Ethereal. Beautiful. Heather Allen Hietala’s series of ceramic vessels are hand built from clay, formed and fired into boat-like shapes. For Hietala, the vessel is symbolic of life’s journey. The shining fragments of glass from recycled pickle jars and wine bottles inside two smaller vessels represent the ‘soul.’ The colour palette is earthy; the exterior of the vessel—highly textured and patterned with a net-like design is in a deep ocean blue. This series was created as an homage to Hietala’s parents but the sentiments they express are universal…we are all embarking on a journey.

As a kid I used to help my father sail by plotting our course on charts. But I recognize that life is unpredictable…it can’t be mapped. The inscriptions on my work offer advice for wherever you’re going but the journey itself still can’t be predicted.” Heather A. Hietala

She studied painting and sculpture at the University of New Hampshire and textiles at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Hietala furthered her studies at Penland School of Crafts, Haystack, and Arrowmont in the US. Her work has been shown in Canada, the US, France and Singapore, and is held in collections worldwide. She has also taught and lectured in the US, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Nepal.