Heidi Jung

Heidi Jung (born 1974) is an American painter currently based in Denver, Colorado. She specializes in a creative method of her own devising that uses vellum, Inkstick, and charcoal. Her subjects are primarily botanicals. Jung's work is predominantly black, white and gray, with some works having hints of color, applied by rubbing pastels into the surface of the piece.
== Early Work ==
As a first major focus while studying for her Bachelor's degree, Jung worked in photography. During her studies, digital photography took a rise in popularity, eliminating the need for darkroom processing. As an artist who enjoyed the full process of developing film, this change in the medium caused her focus to shift. Jung switched into drawing as her major. She moved into creating a body of work on cotton rag, primarily in charcoal and ink, sticking to the black-and-white aesthetic of photography. Her subject matter at the outset of this approach was not so far removed from her current aesthetic choice. "My senior thesis show was a series of insect drawings. So it was a natural progression to go into botanical imagery," Jung has said.
Her last gallery exhibit to feature a collection of her work in photography, entitled “Travels”, was held at Michael Warren Contemporary in Denver in 2017. Of this show, Jung’s tendency to bring inspiration back from her travels was a focus. She does not confine her eyes to the native botanicals of her Colorado home, but continually finds inspiration even as her environment changes with travel.
== Current Work ==
With her implementation of vellum as a canvas and the use of Sumi ink and charcoal, Jung's work resembles a large photographic negative. The flat black-and-white presentation reflects a depth in shadow reminiscent of classic darkroom techniques. Using a Ink brush|Chinese calligraphy ink brush to apply Sumi ink to a sheet of vellum, Jung draws her subject in silhouette. She describes this first stage as the most challenging as she strives for a highly accurate depiction. When one of her drawings sees completion, it is laid out flat in order to allow it to dry. Jung will hang the work when it is nearly dried in order to view what next steps are needed. These next steps are what contribute so heavily to Jung's innovative approach. The drying process that defines the initial process takes a minimum of two weeks to complete.
Once a drawing has completely dried, Jung uses sandpaper to blend the ink into the vellum. This results in distressing the ink, creating what she calls a "halo effect" around the shape of the subject. Jung will also start applying charcoal at this stage, defining the form of the plant at a deeper level. Grattage--the removal or erasure of granulations--is another technique that is applied. This involves various tools and the use of water. Her approach to manipulating the ink at this stage is calculated, as the use of water can easily strip away the foundation she has laid. Her final presentation is executed by adhering the vellum to a wooden panel. This eliminates the need for a frame, and her work is not sealed under glass.
The botanicals that act as her subjects are often depicted when in a withering state. Her works lends more focus on the structure of the plant rather than the beauty that is displayed when the subject is in full bloom. For her solo show at Denver Botanic Gardens, she described her approach, "I started with plants that were on their way out instead of in their prime. The idea of these pieces was [to capture] plants that were dying instead of being in their pretty, perfect state." Jung's stark interpretation of everything from insects to botanicals show the aging of objects in the living world. Roots, soil, and the imperfections of nature are exposed in her approach.
== Digital Galleries ==
* Heidi Jung Website
* William Havu Gallery
* Bryant Street Gallery
* Gallery Estella
== Selected Solo Exhibitions ==
Year	Venue 	Location
2021	Bryant Street Gallery 	Palo Alto, California
2019	Michael Warren Contemporary 	Denver, Colorado
2017	Michael Warren Contemporary 	Denver, Colorado
2017	G44 Gallery 	Colorado Springs, Colorado
2016	Denver Botanic Gardens 	Denver, Colorado
2016	G44 Gallery 	Colorado Springs, Colorado
2015	Michael Warren Contemporary 	Denver, Colorado
2014	G44 Gallery 	Colorado Springs, Colorado
2014	Ironton Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
2013	Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities 	Arvada, Colorado
2012	Ironton Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
2011	Sellars Project Space 	Denver, Colorado
2011	City of Denver, Denver International Airport	Denver, Colorado
2010	Sellars Project Space 	Denver, Colorado
2010	Ironton Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
== Selected Group Exhibitions ==
Year	Venue 	Location
2022	Gallery Estella 	New Orleans, Louisiana
2022	Michael Warren Contemporary 	Denver, Colorado
2021	Michael Warren Contemporary 	Denver, Colorado
2020	Bryant Street Gallery 	Palo Alto, California
2019	Lakewood Cultural Center 	Lakewood, Colorado
2019	Art Students League 	Denver Colorado
2019	Ferguson Phillips 	Wichita, Kansas
2019	Bryant Street Gallery 	Palo Alto, California
2018	Michael Warren Contemporary 	Denver, Colorado
2017	Michael Warren Contemporary 	Denver, Colorado
2014	Michael Warren Contemporary 	Denver, Colorado
2011	City of Denver, Denver International Airport	Denver, Colorado
2011	Abend Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
2010	Hinterland 	Denver, Colorado
2010	The Dairy Center for the Arts 	Denver, Colorado
2010	City of Denver, Denver International Airport	Denver, Colorado
2010	Center for Visual Arts 	Denver, Colorado
2010	Sellars Project Space 	Denver, Colorado
2010	Riennial 	Denver, Colorado
2010	Ironton Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
2009	Worth 	Vail, Colorado
2009	Sellars Project Space 	Denver, Colorado
2009	Ironton Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
2008	Rule Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
2008	Ironton Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
2007	Ironton Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
2006	CASA Cares Invitational Auction 	Scottsdale, Arizona
2005	Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities 	Arvada, Colorado
2004	Lee King Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
2003	Ironton Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
2002	Eckenroth Gallery 	Vail, Colorado
2001	Fresh Art Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
2000	Fresh Art Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
1999	Fresh Art Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
1998	Night Hawks Gallery 	Denver, Colorado
1997	Walter Wickiser Gallery 	New York, New York
Category:1974 births
Category:American painters