Heather Mattingly

As a young adult, Heather worked as a carpenter, cabinet maker, and house painter. Demand for these skills dramatically increased following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and she worked to renovate many homes. Inspired by her creative drive and desire to reduce waste, she salvaged construction scraps and transformed it into found object art called Fleur Debris. She sold her metal and wood sculptures at art markets and festivals for several years. In 2018, Heather began exploring the art of fine painting with acrylics. She taught herself painting techniques and moved into a style she thinks of as "paint assemblage". Years of assembling junk metal helped her develop a different perspective for shapes, texture, patterns, and space. She approaches painting in a similar way, applying brush strokes to canvas as if they were pieces of a puzzle. Heather's artwork is influenced by Louisiana's culture and landscapes. She enjoys exploring the swamp on walking trails and by canoe, a unique ecosystem which supports diverse wildlife and plant life. She also loves music and often listens to local tunes while painting, infusion her love and passion for New Orleans in each piece.