Mary Heebner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Heebner
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Heebner in 2019.
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| Born | April 19, 1951 Burbank, California, United States
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of California, Santa Barbara (B.A. 1981, M.F.A. 1977) |
| Occupation | Artist and author |
| Spouse(s) |
Steven E. Craig
(m. 1972)Macduff Everton
(m. 1989) |
| Children | 1 |
Mary Doretta Heebner, born on April 19, 1951, is an American artist and author. She is known for her unique paintings and books that combine art with writing.
Contents
Mary Heebner's Early Life and Schooling
Mary Heebner was born in Burbank, California. Her father, Walter, was a professional musician and songwriter. He also worked as an executive for big music companies like RCA Records and Capitol Records.
High School and Early Influences
While attending Providence High School, Mary worked part-time. She was a studio assistant for Corita Kent, a famous artist and nun. Mary says Corita Kent greatly influenced her art career. She also met Daniel Berrigan sometimes during this time.
College Education and Art Studies
Mary Heebner went to the University of California, Santa Barbara. She earned her bachelor's degree in 1973. Later, in 1977, she received her master's degree from the same university. During her master's studies, she worked closely with her mentor, artist William Dole.
Mary Heebner's Artistic Career
Mary Heebner's artwork is displayed in many important collections. These include both private collections and public places. Some famous places that own her work are the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the National Gallery of Art. Her art can also be found at the Library of Congress and the British Library.
Simplemente Maria Press: Combining Art and Writing
In 1995, Mary Heebner started her own publishing company. It is called Simplemente Maria Press. This company creates special, limited-edition books. These books combine her beautiful paintings with her own writing.
Mary has worked with many writers on her artist's books. She has created books based on works by William Shakespeare (like Hamlet) and the poet Pablo Neruda. Other writers she has collaborated with include Sienna Craig and Clayton Eshleman.
Published Books and Famous Poems
Two of Mary Heebner's artist's books were published for a wider audience. These books paired her paintings with poems by Pablo Neruda. The poems were translated by Scottish writer Alastair Reid.
- On the Blue Shore of Silence was published in 2004.
- Intimacies followed in 2008.
These books were released to celebrate Pablo Neruda's 100th birthday.
Exploring Ancient Cultures Through Art
Mary Heebner has a strong interest in ancient times and cultures. In 1995, she wrote and illustrated a book called Old Marks, New Marks. This book connected her art to ancient mark-making.
In 1997, she was invited to visit the Lascaux cave in France. This cave has ancient paintings and has been closed to the public since 1963. Her visit inspired a series of paintings and an artist's book. This book was called Scratching the Surface: a visit to Lascaux and Rouffignac.
Her travels to Angkor in Cambodia and Ayutthaya in Thailand also inspired her. These trips led to large art installations. She also created three artist books about these places. These books include Full Lotus and Silent Faces/Angkor.
Art Inspired by Nature and History
Mary Heebner's art is also inspired by nature and history. She made several trips to Patagonia in Chile. These trips led to a book, a series of paintings, and an artist book called Unearthed.
Her book Intimacy: Drawing with Light, Drawn from Stone explores drawing. It uses watermarks, text, and images based on old Roman sculptures. Cassandra is a hand-painted book that refers to Greek myths. Her Arctic Trilogy features her own writing and images. These were created after her trips to the Arctic in 2017 and 2024.
Other Notable Publications
Mary Heebner has published several other books.
- Bridging Image and Word: 25 Years of Artists Books, 1995-2020 looks at her artist books.
- The Venus Paintings (2013) features her large paintings of classical sculptures.
- Patagonia: La Ultima Esperanza (2011) was created with her husband, Macduff Everton.
- The Western Horizon (2000) is another collaboration with Macduff Everton.
Her "Venus Paintings" series shows her interest in classical sculptures. One art expert, Dr. Bruce Robertson, said that Mary "miraculously rescued these sculptures from the museums... and returned them to the world they came from."
Mary Heebner's Personal Life
Mary Heebner lives in Santa Barbara, California. She is married to photographer Macduff Everton. They got married in 1989. She also has a stepson with him.
Mary was previously married to Steven E. Craig. They met in high school while working at Universal Studios Hollywood. They were married for 13 years and have a daughter together.
