“Bee My Baby”; mixed media; 8” x 11”
Heather Pereira is a painter, illustrator and sculptor whose work is best described as erotic surrealism. She is interested in the dynamics of human relationships and explores personal narratives through human and animal forms. Her work is driven by an innate need to make sense of uncomfortable situations and presents reoccurring themes of nostalgia, sensuality, innocence and contradictions.
"Beeheaded"; graphite, colored pencil & pastel on paper; 16.25"x10"
Born and raised in Los Angeles County, Pereira relocated to Massachusetts in the mid 80’s to raise her growing family. She earned a BFA in 2007 at UMass Lowell with her concentration in painting and continued her studies at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, receiving a MFA in 2009. In her spare time, Pereira teaches high school art and spends a lot of time tracking squirrels while walking with her husband and two big Labs.
Artist's Statement
"The state of being in transition has become an important aspect of my new narrative. I have been focusing on a new series, 'Bee Happy,' which began with my thinking about the in-between places in one’s life, my own to be specific. However, as I write this artist statement, in the midst of a global pandemic, we, as a human race are very much at an in-between place. We have a choice. We can unite like bees and work for the good of the entire colony, protecting that which is sacred, or become infected and collapse."
"Beecomming"; clay and acrylic paint
"Bees fascinate me. Two years ago, the work began organically, as I began collecting dead bees that I found on the sidewalk as I was out walking in my neighborhood. I could not walk by and just leave them there. These little beings give so much of themselves to the order of mankind; I simply had to bring them home and I began drawing them. I started to think of the order and structure of their lives and the perfect patterns that these small creatures create in honeycomb. Patterning and a collective of words followed as a I imposed a parameter for my imagination and began this new work."
"Queen Bee"; oil on Panel
"Plan B."; oil on panel
"I move between drawing, painting and sculpting like a pollinator. One medium always fertilizes the other. I really like the idea of fantasy creatures that combine human and animal forms and am greatly influenced by surrealism and classic fairy tale illustrations. The world right now seems very surreal and I view myself as one of my worker bees. I am in transition, desperately seeking structure, but strongly believing in being happy, as we move into Plan B."
More of Heather's works can be viewed on her website:
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