I Saw You Close Your Eyes Collage

It seems inevitable that a Florida girl who was raised by a mobster and whose earliest memory is visiting her father in prison would end up in Las Vegas at some point - maybe less likely Ibiza, but such is the life of Heather Bellino. Childhood trauma meets the vibrancy of Art Deco Miami, Neon Graveyard Vegas and Barefoot Luxury Ibiza in an unlikely marriage which challenges the viewer to look beyond whimsical colors and patterns to find the deeper undertones in the subject matter of her paintings. Currently based in Las Vegas, Nevada, Heather holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from Florida Atlantic University where her concentration was graphic design. While Heather holds a degree in Fine Arts, her skill in painting is largely self-taught and experimental as most of her studies were primarily design-based. In addition to painting in acrylics and mixed media, she works as a graphic designer, creative director and child-raiser, roles which all influence her work. Artist Statement Dismembered and sometimes bruised looking, my subjects show a disconnection between body and mind. Through a combination of enveloping expanses of rich color and mesmerizing maximalist patterns, there is a simultaneous feeling of overwhelm and comfort. Much like my own personality, there’s a playfulness at the surface, however, beneath the story of each piece is a bit of darkness. Through my work, I explore the complexities of emotion in relationship to the body and the mechanisms that have been put in place to protect ourselves from emotional pain. I look at our personal relationships with ourselves after psychological abuse. I would like to engage the community in a conversation in which we speak about the marginalization of people in situations of emotional abuse due to societal mandates. With shame, isolation, and lack of support - people are often dependent on their abusers due to the patriarchal system in which one holds power and resources over another. Influenced by the places I lived: the vibrancy of Art Deco Miami, Neon Graveyard Vegas and Barefoot Luxury Ibiza, there is an unlikely marriage which challenges the viewer to look beyond whimsical colors to find the deeper undertones in the expressions and features of each figure. I enjoy playing with the way the eye mixes color on the canvas and the brain assigns value to negative space. I view my creative process as one that is always adapting.