ARTIST TIMELINE   Traditional Calligraphy > No-mind Brush Painting > Gestural Painting > 3D Sculpture

  • Artist Brenda Heim working on a calligraphy project sitting at her studio desk

    1979 - 1988    THE FORMAL CALLIGRAPHY YEARS, disciplined, mastered traditional tools, calligraphy commissions...

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  • Abstract calligraphy painting in black and white color. An abstract, gestural, black ink abstract calligraphy painting. A black ink abstract calligraphy painting. This painting changed my life it's a black and white action style painting reminiscent of Jackson Pollock's action paintings.

    1989    THE DEPARTURE YEAR, introduction to Zen brush painting and a life changing primal release painting...

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  • A black ink abstract calligraphy painting, it looks like ocean waves, which was not intentional. Another black ink abstract calligraphy painting that also looks like ocean waves. Artist Brenda Heim standing with her art at a college exhibition of her work. An abstract painting with a predominant tiny red dot near the center as a point of focus within the exhuberance of the painting.

    1990 - 1994    COLOR SEEPS IN, beginning to learn difference between action painting and no-mind painting...

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  • Artist Brenda Heim guiding a large mop soaked with paint across a 12 foot canvas on the studio floor. A 5 foot square painting with large, oversized, calligraphic black ink marks, background is pale yellow. Two abstract, black brush marks on top of a red and burgundy background. An abstract painting with deep yellow, large calligraphic marks across the entire 6 foot canvas, background is mottled gray and white, with a couple touches of red.

    1995 - 1999    CANVAS ARRIVES, exciting, frightening, curious, empowered...continuing action vs no-mind painting...

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  • Abstract painting with primary colors burgundy and black on top of a pale yellow under painting. A red paper painting with a large, soft pale yellow, abstract mark. A one stroke, calligraphic brush painting, red acrylic paint on white paper. Artist Brenda Heim standing in front of her under construction studio holding a building permit with a thumbs up.

    2000 - 2004    NEW STUDIO, one stroke paintings, and a growing interest to design 3D sculpture in metal...

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  • A detail photo of a black and white 9 foot painting showing the texture of dried black acrylic paint and Sumi ink, which these two mediums don't blend, we call this a happy accident. Another detail photo of a black and white painting, the bold, black brush marks are exuberant as raucous ocean waves. A detail photo of a 9 foot painting with horizontal black ink brush strokes on top of pale blue underpainting. A black and white abstract that the artist washed off the heavy black marks to expose outlines left from brush marks, another happy accident in the studio.

    2005    NEW TOOL NEW METHOD, custom mop brush tool with counterweight enables heavy, ink soaked mops to glide light as a feather...

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  • An abstract painting, dark and light gray background with a warm red calligraphic mark in the center. A black and white paper painting with a simple, one stroke, Sumi ink brush mark. An abstract painting on paper, background stained with tea, primary brush mark is black Sumi ink with two small deep red dollops. A tea stained paper painting that's warm beige in color with a warm red calligraphic mark across the entire face of the paper.

    2006    PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE, action vs no-mind painting, aggressive vs passive, brute force vs one breath mark making...

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  • A 40 inch paper painting, black and white with bold, abstract calligraphy brush marks. A black and white paper painting with black abstract marks that were washed off to expose outlines of the brush marks. A small 10 inch painting with a primary, large lime green brush stroke, an Homage to the painting style of Robert Motherwell. Artists Brenda Heim and Doug Hays on a hilltop with their public art installation, 100 metal red dots on metal sticks planted around them.

    2007    ZEN NO-MIND brush painting, Homage to Motherwell, rewarding/challenging Public Art Installations...

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  • 2008    GENTLE STRENGTH, creative voice softens, chutzpah matures in gentle mark making, sculpture study continues...

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  • 2009    CREATIVE LEAP on the horizon, a foretelling, an introspective year, 3D sculpture work temporarily satisfies...

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  • 2010    CREATIVE LEAP hovering, bold mark making explorations on canvas and metal panels...

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  • 2011    CREATIVE LEAP 3rd year, finally, a series entitled Broken Circle in both sculpture and paint, an unexplainable sense of freedom...

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  • 2012    CIRCLE FRAGMENTS, BENT LINES, NON-DOMINANT HAND PAINTING, MEANINGFUL WORK, engaging the mystery compliments critical thinking...

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  • 2013    WALKING MEDITATION, a series of large scale paintings and sculptures, reverence deepens for large scale challenges...

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  • black and white abstract art abstract calligraphy paintingAmerican abstract art

    2014 - 2015    SOUL OF THE BRUSH, be it torch or brush, mark making tools cherished over fine ink, paints, linen, substrates, female form silhouette in paint matures...

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  • abstract calligraphy black ink paintingblack and white horse painting circle sculpture public art Florida black circle sculpture corporate art

    2016    MONOCHROMATIC, passionate about black ink since day one 1979, 5th generation Enso circle sculpture, happy...

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  • homage Motherwell National Gallery of Artabstract calligraphy paintingblack and white modern art

    2017    CONTEMPLATING 28 YEARS STUDIO WORK...pleased for an insatiable passion to hone, explore, and pursue maturity in both 2 & 3D work, at 28 years I see my work is beginning to bloom > also pleased that a 3 year project moved into next phase -- patent pending -- a 3D sculpture kit for classrooms, therapists, museum gift shops, boardrooms, because I believe in the power of self-expression and how that in itself has potential to inspire dialog, curiosity, civility . . .

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  • expressive mark makingblack ink brush paintinglarge red circle on canvas paintingbold black ink brush mark painting

    2018    MUSINGS...the circle, the shape > Noguchi Sculpture Garden > and the aesthetic play of line and space in both Ikebana floral arranging and Mid-Century design . . .

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  • a large scale black and white gestural paintingabstract painting with sumi ink and russet colormodern art with bold black brush marksa painting with black abstract circles

    2019 - 2020    SOULMATES...sumi ink, mars black acrylic, and water, mediums that typically resist blending > I have developed a rich, inky, mat finish application technique > truly a 30+ year love affair of countless experiments and still to this day, working with black pigments is undeniably, fodder for my soul like no other . . .

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  • modern art black ink brush paintingoversized calligraphy brush marks on canvas

    2021 - 2024    SITTING QUIETLY . . . walking meditation . . . bonsai practice, gardening, good will ambassador . . .

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  • Brenda Heim Atelier EST 1989
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