HEIDI WASTWEET
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Artist Statement

Me

ARTIST STATEMENT

I lead a dual life of commissioned sculptor and studio artist, with a focus on bas-relief bronze sculpture. The scale of my work ranges from hand held coins to standing monuments. The coins and medals are struck at a variety of private mints in bronze, silver, or gold. The bronzes are cast at an art foundry and then I apply the patina to each one by my own hand.

I love bas-relief for its harmonious marriage between the tactile nature of sculpture with the illusional qualities of drawing. It can depict effects such as shadow, transparency, and atmosphere which are not usually attributed to sculpture.

Symbolism and the human figure are featured prominently in my studio work. My style is contemporary and representational. It is inspired by classic Italian art, ancient Egyptian carvings and heavily influenced by modern Polish sculpture, specifically in the juxtaposition of positive and negative spaces.

Most people are surprised to learn I did not attend any art school or college. Still I don't like to call myself "self-taught". I built my autodidactic education with a tower of books, museums of the world, and the kindness of other artists.

I stay active in the art community through my involvement in art organizations such as AMSA (American Medallic Sculpture Association) and NSS (National Sculpture Society). Over the years I've trained over a dozen artists as medallic sculptors and occassionally conduct workshops.

2023 marks my 36th year as a professional artist.


BIOGRAPHY

HEIDI WASTWEET is a leading American Medallist and sculptor who specializes in bas-relief, from cast and struck medals to public monuments. In conjunction with a wide variety of private mints she has produced over 1000 coins, medals, and tokens since 1987. She was chief engraver for Sunshine Mint for 11 years and lead designer/sculptor for Global Mint for 5 years. In 2001 she opened her own studio and relocated from Idaho to Seattle Washington in 2003, then to San Francisco Bay area in 2013. She currently serves as President for AMSA, the American Medallic Sculpture Association; member of FIDEM, the international organization of Medalists; and elected member of NSS, National Sculpture Society. Her work has been shown in magazines, newspaper and digital media, and she exhibits her non-commission work regularly, including Medialia Gallery in New York and Bellevue Art Museum in Washington. She served on the Citizen's Coinage Advisory Committee for the US Mint from 2010 to 2018 and teaches an annual medal workshop at Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina.

Photo by Tara Gimmer

Studio Sculptures

Wings Peacock
Gone to Pieces Head in the Clouds
Japanese American Internment Fruitful Ideas
Letting Go Dante
Snake Oil Antimartyr
Pandora Defiant Architect
Aurora Duality
Cloak of Night Overture
Grace Wild Horses
Scholar

Commissioned Sculptures

Medal of Honour Gloria
Church Doors Kezar
Fireman UW Portraits
Ravens
Rodin
Perry
Ravens

Studio Medals

Muybridge Falcon and Hare
Abbreivated Liberty Revel
Odin Fox
Dante Liberty/Anarchy
NYC Organ Donor
Tenuous Grasp

Commission Medals

Freedom Girl - 1 oz. Silver Bullion, 1.5'' - Original Design
Boston Library Medal - High Relief Bronze, 3'' - Design by Micahel Berman Elvis Collector Medal - Silver with Select Gold Plate, 1.5''
Leopard, 100 Dinars, Darfur Sultanate - Nickel Plated Brass, 25mm - Designed by Joseph Lang Zombucks - Walker - 1oz Silver 1.5'' - Original Design
Hawaii Waterman Hall of Fame - Duke Kahanamoku Portrait - High Relief Bronze, 2'' Goddess Isis; Luxor Las Vegas - Silver Strike Gaming Token - Bi-metal Silver and Brass, 43mm - Original Design
Liberty's Glory - 1 oz. Silver, 1.5'' - Design by Gary Marks Liberty's Glory - 1 oz. Silver, 1.5'' - Design by Gary Marks
Mayo Clinic, Physicians Medal - High relief bronze, 3'' 1916 Mercury Dime Collectors Replica - Silver, 18mm
Barack Obama Medal - Brass, 1.5'' 1964 Peace Dollar Collectors Replica - Silver, 39mm
Ponce de Leon Award Medal - Bronze, 1'' Uncle Sam Medal - Bronze 2'' - Design by Michael Berman
Pope Medal - Brass 1.5'' - Original Design N.T. Rama Rao Medal - High relief bronze 2''
Ted's Liberty - Silver Bullion 1.5'' - Original Design from Client's Photo Willie Nelson Portrait - Promotional Piece for Island Records Release of the Album 'Spirit' - Bronze 1.5''
Alumnus Award; Stephen F. Austin University - High relief bronze 3'' Stanford University Medal - High Relief Bronze 3''
Star Liberty - 1oz .9999 Fine Gold Bullion - Original design Pegasus - 1oz Silver Bullion 1.5''
2014 Maui Dollar Copper-Nickel 1.5'' - Original Design Niue Islands $5 Coin Reverse - High Relief Silver - Original Design
Cleopatra - Obverse - High Relief 2oz Silver Bullion - Original Design Cleopatra - Reverse - High Relief 2oz Silver Bullion - Original Design
Anubis - Obverse - High Relief 2oz Silver Bullion - Original Design Anubis - Reverse - High Relief 2oz Silver Bullion - Original Design
Veritas Lux Mea; Truth Is My Light - Obverse - 1oz silver 1.5'' - Original Design 'Latin Series' Veritas Lux Mea; Truth Is My Light - Reverse - 1oz silver 1.5'' - Original Design 'Latin Series'
Liberty Head - 1oz Silver 1.5'' - Original Design Texas Precious Metals Deer - 1oz Silver Bullion 1.5'' - Original Design
Argyraspides; Silver Shield - 1oz Silver 1.5'' Winged Victory, Caesar's Palace Las Vegas Silver Strike Gaming Token - Bi-Metal Silver and Brass, 43mm - Original Design
Texas Precious Metals Coyote - 1oz Silver Bullion 1.5'' - Original Design Texas Precious Metals Reverse - 1oz Silver Bullion
Clay County Courthouse - 1oz Silver 1.5'' - Original Design Debt and Death - 1oz Silver 1.5''
Duchess of Marksova - 1oz Silver 1.5'' - Original Design Seattle University School of Law - Dean's Award - 3'' Cast Bronze - Original Design
Shahs of Iran - Obverse - 2oz Silver Shahs of Iran - Reverse - 2oz Silver
August Vollmer Portrait - High Relief Bronze 3'' Americn Numismatic Association Obverse - Struck Bronze 1.5' and 3' - Designed by Jaime Franki Americn Numismatic Association Reverse - Struck Bronze 1.5' and 3' - Designed by Jaime Franki Northern Cyprus Coin - 20 Turkish Lira; 49mm - Designed by Joseph Lang
Pritzker Military Library Medal - High Relief Bronze 1'' Fireman Obverse - Gold Plated Silver 1.5' - Designed by Gary Marks for Lebanon Oregon Fire District Fireman Reverse - Gold Plated Silver 1.5' - Designed by Gary Marks for Lebanon Oregon Fire District 2004 Maui Dollar - Copper-Nickel 1.5'' - Original Design
2008 Papal Visit - Brass 2'' St Bernard Obverse - Struck Bronze 1.75' - Designed by Joel Iskowitz St Bernard Reverse - Struck Bronze 1.75' - Designed by Joel Iskowitz
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Purchasing

Purchasing

TO PURCHASE A SCULPTURE:

Your purchase means a lot to me and I want to make it as easy and fun as possible. If that means making payments, just ask. Have a special request? Just ask. Ready to buy? Use the PayPal button on the sculpture's page. Don't like PayPal? Send me an email to arrange payment by check. Your sculpture will be shipped after payment is received.

Keep in mind that not all sculptures are immediately available. They may be out on loan to an exhibit or recently sold. If a cast is not immediately available but the edition is not yet sold out, then a new cast can be ordered. This will be a 8-12 week wait time. If delivery time is a deciding factor please email before ordering.

Each bronze is finished with a unique, hand applied patina so it may vary slightly from the photo. If you are not pleased with the sculpture after you receive it you may return it within 60 days for a full refund. Domestic ground shipping is included in the cost. Expedited shipping will be charged extra.

Art medals are packaged in a pouch and/or box. Bas reliefs bronzes are fixed with a hanger on the back so they can be displayed either on an easel or hung on the wall. The largest and heaviest are fitted with a French cleat for hanging. If you would like to mount the bronze, please contact me and I can arrange for bolts to be set on the back.


TO COMMISSION A SCULPTURE:

I am currently accepting commissions as my schedule allows. I'm always happy to answer questions and give guidance where possible.

Contact me via email with your concept. I can work with finished art or just an idea. I will provide you with a bid based on the complexity of design. A 50% deposit is required to begin work. After the design is approved, further changes will incur additional fees. A photo of the finished sculpture is emailed for approval. After approval, no more adjustments are allowed. Full payment is required before shipping.

Contact Me

Contact Me

HEIDI WASTWEET

Wastweet Studio
Albany, California

heidi@wastweetstudio.com


The fair use of a copyrighted work for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. Any other use is a violation of the laws of the United States of America.

Photo by Tara Gimmer


© Heidi Wastweet 2019
Last Updated June 2023
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