Gail Heinze - Fibre Artist

Gail grew up in Halifax, NS, spending summers on Ponhook Lake at her family cottage. Her love of nature lead her to pursue a degree in biology at Dalhousie University, followed by a successful career as a park naturalist with Parks Canada, Alberta Parks and Recreation, and finally the Helen Schuler Coulee Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta. In 1993 she finally returned to her native province. Her decision to stay home to raise her family allowed her the freedom to pursue her artistic cravings which lead to a new career as a glass artist. Her new business, Glass with Class, was juried into three provincial craft councils. When she closed this business twenty years later to travel with her husband, Gail discovered fibre. This medium worked well with travelling - light and unbreakable- and this became her new creative passion.
Gail has worked with internationally recognized artists Fiona Duthie and Moy Mackay and taken many workshops to hon her skills. During her time in Mexico she won several awards and her work is in private collections in three countries. Now that she is home to stay she finds inspiration in her childhood haunts as well as from the fibres themselves. “ Sometimes when I get a new order of wool or discover a new texture in silk or yarn it just calls out to me and I design a new piece where it becomes a focal point.” She enjoys the challenge of interpreting her deep love of nature using only fibre and spends many hours exploring how to do that effectively, along with dyeing her own silk.
Gail gives local classes and loves sharing her techniques with others. Her specialty is wet felting, which she describes as “Pure alchemy! Watching the faces of students light up when they discover how soap, water, and agitation can turn loose wool and silk fibres into a vessel or picture or scarf is always such a joy.” Gail is excited to be a part of the vibrant art community here at Art 1274 Hollis and hopes you find joy in her creations.