Heidi Oberhelman states, “My art background began about the time I did. My mother was an artist who enabled me as a child to experiment and hone many skills early on. I can’t ever remember not having a variety of media around me and someone skilled to teach me the techniques. I spent many weekends in the late 60’s and 70’s at art shows, in a VW bus, helping my mother with her pottery and selling a little of my own work. In addition I occasionally enrolled in formal private or group lessons. Although I learned to draw, paint and silkscreen, I enjoyed three dimension media the most. Silver jewelry was one of my first loves”.

   Heidi’s first formal training was years ago and consisted of a series of small group lessons in sterling silver and soldering. She continued to make some jewelry for a few years, but lost contact with it after having three children in three years, too busy for much.  After receiving her degree at Western Kentucky University she taught art in an elementary school in Edmonson County for a few years but this was cut short due to serious neck and jaw injuries. After being home for about a year, realizing it would be a permanent situation; her husband encouraged her to focus on creating something to sell. Heidi said, “I tentatively began ordering some supplies and trying some things. It had been so long since I could be an artist on my time and not on someone else’s schedule. After a lot of experimentation and retraining myself, I found myself again in the wire. I began using only the sterling silver, however an opportunity came up for me to have some bound copper wire and my sons stripped it for me. I love that we actually recycle it. It has imperfections, but that is all part of the uniqueness. It seems more close to nature than the store bought recycled copper wire. So I am probably known more for the bent and hammered sterling and copper wire designs, but I also make watches, beaded items”.

   Ms. Oberhelman was born in Manhattan and raised in New York and Virginia.  She lived in several states before settling in Kentucky in 1998.  She works on her jewelry in her studio that is off of her home in Allen County.   It is not public but she does see out of town repeat customers by appointment; however her local customers go to one of the galleries to purchase her work. She said that her bent wire work is portable, so in nice weather she plants herself outside to work.  Otherwise she works in her studio and sometimes takes her wire with her in the car for long trips, stating, “the scenery is inspiring for designs”.  “Many days, I am physically unable to do anything, so when I get up and am having a good day, I crave that feeling of being able to make something. It is a way I am able leave a little trail of “me”, which celebrates I have been here. I think as I have aged and have had to fight my chronic condition, I value every minute and try to make the most of my time. I think I was gifted with the love for art, so that I may be an art advocate. I try to do that through making the most of my situation, exemplifying that if art is important to a person, they might make every effort to enjoy its rich rewards whenever they can”, stated Heidi..

  She said, “The children I taught gifted me with the ability to once again look at the world through a child’s eyes and be passionate about the things I love to do.  Because of those very special little people, I have Purple Rabbit Studio. A place where I make what I love to – sterling silver wire jewelry, unique beaded items and more. I prefer to make a one of a kind design and welcome custom orders”.

   Heidi has an art scholarship at Longwood College, Farmville, Virginia and a degree in Art Education and Communication from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota followed by her art teaching certificate for P-12 at Western Kentucky University.  She has her jewelry in numerous shops and art galleries in many states including; Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and also, Nova Scotia, Canada.  Additionally, she has participated in gallery shows and art fairs at Gallery on the Square in Franklin where they held the Simpson County Guild of Artists and Craftsmen Show, Art in the Alley, Bardstown, Arts, Crafts & Antiques, Allen County League of Artists and Craftsmen Shows, Franklin Days, Artworks Shows.  She is a member of the Kentucky Art Education Association, Artworks, Allen County League of Artists and Craftsmen and the Simpson County Guild of Artists and Craftsmen.  For several years she has shown Wholesale in the Atlanta market and the New York City Market.  She will not be signing  up for any shows this coming year because her health prevents her from knowing if she  can attend or not. “I am so grateful for the stores and galleries because on my good days I can work and they do an awesome job of representing me and my work, knowing my situation” stated Heidi.

   In the future she would like to partner with an organization to support something child oriented. 

   You can see her beautiful jewelry locally at Gallery 916 on the Square in Bowling Green, Gallery on the Square in Franklin and Kentucky Artisans in Russelville.  You can contact Heidi at www.purplerabbitstudio.com   She is in the process of reworking the site to serve retail and Wholesale.  Her email is:  us@purplerabbitstudio.com   And she recently started a facebook page – Purple Rabbit Studio.

   Heidi leaves us a quote from Elbert Hubbard:  “Art is not a thing; it is a way.”

About the author: Ronnie Jaggers is a seasoned sculptor, fine artist and master crafter. Her work can be seen on ChiseledFeaturesStudio.webs.com. She reminds other artists “Trust the beauty of your art, for if you see the beauty, others will too.” To be considered for the featured artist call Ronnie at 791-3505 or email ChiseledFeaturesStudio@yahoo.com