Art in the Café: Carol Hetrick

When I was in the 10th grade I had to choose between taking an art class and playing violin in the orchestra. Tough choice! After much deliberation, I chose to continue on with music. I figured I could pick up the art anytime later in life. I ended up becoming a professional musician and then a practitioner in transpersonal counseling and energy medicine, and not doing any art for decades, ‘just’ a few crafts. 

All along I was an avid gardener and I loved puns. Eventually, every vegetable in my garden had a name-related pun, each one wood-burnt onto a small wooden plaque. Then at 71, two years ago, I decided to collect the puns in a book and have a friend do the illustrations. It was my adult son who challenged me to do the illustrations myself. What??!! I did not think of myself as an artist at all. The challenge seemed random. My son assured me I had what it would take.

After much inner resistance, and a second challenge to ‘go for it’, I began doodling vegetables, then to draw more seriously, and finally to paint. Was I ever surprised!  The gradual outpouring of illustrations became the book that I did  illustrate — How to Create Peas on Earth, Wisdom From the Garden of Eatin’. There are over eighty illustrations, each with a pun (a tip!) on how to create peas on earth. (Soon to be published).

The exhibit contains eighteen of the over eighty illustrations from the book. Some of the illustrations  appear on tote bags, prints and cards (with possible T-shirts in the future!). A gradually increasing percentage of the proceeds from products will go to local permaculture projects and education for regenerative gardening and farming.

If you choose to order a print or a tote bag you will be helping to create an inspiring and sustainable future where people and the planet thrive.

Email the artist: carol@peasnharmony.com 

Thank you for taking the time to appreciate this month's featured artist. If you would like to purchase a painting and support this project, please fill out a purchase slip and put it in the envelope at the event.