2nd Floor Gallery
Wholeness Has Parts
Heidi Swevens, she/they, explores senses, spirituality, and connection-with and without a camera! Photography invoked a ‘sacred rebellion” after significant changes in eyesight 30 years ago. The art form challenged narratives of “loss” and “limit”. It simultaneously linked to inner realms of intuition and interconnection. “Seeing” with words through the access feature of verbal description was transformative. It continues to evoke considerations. Tactile elements further enhance experiences for artist and audience alike. We often need to touch something to truly connect. A tree in Red Rocks Park was among the first friends that encouraged reengagement with life beyond the edges of what is merely “seen”. Heidi has a decades-long relationship with this tree, the woods, the path-inner and outer. These photos will be included in “Wholeness has Parts”. The emerging body of work offers multi-sensory exploration of a seemingly single subject.
Tactile Representations
“Beyond the Edge” is a landscape photo of trees and sky taken from below. Next to the photo is a tactile representation that Heidi is touching. Created with raised lines, you can feel the composition of the artwork. Having more than one way to engage with the art can enhance the audience’s experience.
Verbal Descriptions
Witness Verbal Description: “Witness” is a portrait photo of a large tree with a wooded background. Its branches are cropped by the top of the photo. Vertical shadows line the foreground, forming a triangular shape that rises from the roots of the tree, pointing upward. This balances the visible branches at the top of the image, almost like an hourglass. A human silhouette stands between the angled shadow lines. Legs spread, echoing the larger layers. The silhouette’s right arm touches the head, creating a small opening.
Broken and Open Verbal Description:
A close-up of a small portion of a tree trunk. The main focus highlights jagged depths and many squared edges with rust tones where a branch used to exist. A large, left-leaning branch extends behind the jagged edges. This branch forms the top of a triangular-like impression/opening through the left side of the image. The remainder of the photo is comprised of rounded branches and details of the tree’s bark. Irregular patterns, knobs, and textures in tan/gray hues contrast the rust colors in the jagged center.
“Reverence & Reciprocity” Verbal Description: A portrait photo of the Mother Tree in near entirety against the green and yellow hues from the forest behind it. The tree’s relative size is notable, its thick trunk 4 or 5 times larger than those around it. Lower limbs extend diagonally and appear more linear than in the upper parts of the tree where branches round and wave without apparent patterns. The dark brown tones of the trunk and branches pop against speckled colors of distant leaves. The photo shows the ground with fallen branches on both sides. Shadows from other trees appear on the ground obscuring what might otherwise reveal the well-worn path. A branch has been placed upright against the tree’s trunk, between roots. It appears illuminated by a sunbeam.
“Beyond the Edge” Verbal Description: A landscape photo of trees and sky taken from below. Primarily leafless trees point diagonally inward to an opening in the partially cloudy blue sky. The top of an evergreen tree is positioned in the bottom center (6 o’clock). Deep green clusters of color punctuate wavy vertical branches. They create an edge at the opening beyond – almost as a choice point for where to focus. A second tiny almost imperceptible evergreen tree top appears on the right at three o’clock. The length of tree trunks in the composition varies, with longer trunks and angles in the bottom left and right.
Gallery Orientation
My photography is part of a group show featuring 12 Vermont photographers at One Main Street. The gallery is located in the 2nd-floor lobby. The lobby has stairwells, doors, and an elevator leading to other parts of the building. Large plants and business signage are also in the lobby. Several long backless benches are in the center of the space.
Works from photographers are installed on 3 walls with a rail system. Sizes, frames, and matting vary widely. My 4 photographs and tactile pairs hang on the lakeside wall, directly across from the right sidewalk entrance. They are the only photos on that section.
Entrances: There are two sets of double doors from the Main Street sidewalk. These doors do not have ADA push buttons. The 1st floor entrance in the back of the building (lakeside) at the Amtrak Station has ADA Push buttons. There is an elevator to the second floor.
Parking: Accessible spaces are available in the front street parking as well as the lot behind the building near the Amtrak Station.
Street parking uses the Park Mobile app or quarters. There is also a toll-free number to pay for parking without a smartphone 877-727-5010. You will need to locate the zone number on the meter.
Restrooms: Accessible restrooms are available on the 1rst floor.
Seating: The gallery space has several long, wide, wooden benches. These benches do not have backs or armrests. The 1rst floor station has additional seating with a variety of options (including chairs).