Meet Heidi Huughe

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Heidi Huughe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Heidi below.

Heidi, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

When it comes to creating, I like to be as open as possible, without imposing limited ideas on myself about what should or should not be, and without trying to meet high expectations. Instead, I like to let the inspiration of the moment take over. It allows me to ‘play’ and it creates the freedom to experiment with colors and textures, to explore different directions and expand my boundaries. It’s all about having fun and I think that’s an important aspect of keeping your creativity alive.

Taking breaks from time to time is another important one for me. Just like in nature, there’s a time for expansion and a time for rest and to find the proper balance is the perfect recepy to keep the creative flow ever fresh. Every day I make some time to do other things that I love and that require little focus, like taking walks in nature and watching a good film or series. And whenever I feel worn out after an intensive period of painting or working on a project, I make sure to listen to the signals of my body and mind and not push myself any further.

I also love to surround myself with things that boost my creativity. At home I have a corner dedicated to the artworks of artists I admire. Just seeing all of their works hanging on my wall greatly inspires me. Pinterest is another great way to discover arts that move something inside me, as wel as instagram. On instagram there are lots of art challenges I participate in, and that often generates lots of new ideas. Also I get to connect with so many talented artists which really nurtures my creativity.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Hi! I’m Heidi a self-taught full-time artist based in Antwerp Belgium.
I’m a bit of a dreamer who is in love with all things beautiful and magical and I try to capture that within my paintings. Through them I like to tell a story, create an athmosphere that sparks the imagination of both young and old and transport them to a world where fantasy and wonder become alive and where the seemingly impossible becomes possible. My love for colours play an important part in it as well. That’s why I love to work with acrylics because they provide deep and vibrant colours.

Often people tell me how happy they become just looking at my work and that to me is the greatest compliment they can give. I strongly believe in the uplifting and healing power of art, and in a world where there’s a lot of darkness we can use a bit of brightness and joy.

Last year I launched my small business called Heidi in Heartland where besides my original paintings I offer a selection of greetingcards and artprints among others. I’m contiuously working on new ideas and concepts to expand my collection.

My main focus is on artmarkets and although they can be fysically intense I derive so much energy and inspiration from them. Especially connecting with people that are genuinly interested in my work and seeing how it deeply resonates with them is such a joy. Besides that I get to meet so many fellow artists and exchange experiences and advice. I also find artmarkets a great way to network which often leads to new opportunities.

The past year I had the chance to collaborate with some amazing people and organisations, I illustrated for the bookproject of a charity organisation in Portugal, participated in an art exhibition and entered a partnership with ‘She loves me florals’. I’m also happy to anounce that in december a selection of my original paintings will be available in a pop-up store in Turnhout Belgium and I hope to reach more local stores in the future.

When I quit my job in sales a few years ago, I would never have dreamed to be where I am today. Choosing to become a full time artist and taking the plunge into entrepreneurship was the best descision I ever made. There is still a lot to learn, but one thing is for sure, I’m loving every step of it!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Beginnings are always tough, everything is new and you lack experience and foundation. It’s about finding out what works and what doesn’t, trying different things and mostly about learning through trial and error. Therefore I have found patience to be an essential quality to cultivate. Taking things one step at a time is the best way to go. Everything takes time to grow and to mature, whether it is developping skills as an artist or growing and marketing your business, if you want to move too fast and expect immediate result you will only get discouraged and eventually give up. Be gentle with yourself and allow yourself to make mistakes and to fail, they too are part of the journey. They are our teachers and show us the right direction. They show us the way to succes.

Another quality I have found to be vital is persistence and focus. Things are not always handed to us on a silver plate and it will require hard work to accomplish succes and achieve something. But I have seen that working through obstacles and challenges gives you a strenght and a trust that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. It’s just a matter of pushing through and keep trying, and if you fail, get up again and try again until you succeed.

And last but not least, stay true to yourself, know who you are and what you want. You are a unique individual with a unique path. Follow your own path, your own pace, no matter what others say or do. Don’t compare yourself with others, because that will only kill your authenticity.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

Whenever I feel overwhelmed I find the best remedy is to simply take a step back and to focus my attention on something entirely different, preferably a physical activity that will help me to clear my head and ground myself again. Something like taking a walk in nature or doing some grocery shopping or even doing something simple like washing the dishes helps me to create spaciousness and to gain a fresh perspective.

Making a list has also proven to be very benificial, especially when there is a lot coming towards me all at once. It helps me to prioritize and distinguish between the tasks that are urgent and the ones that are less urgent. It creates structure in an otherwise chaotic mind.

Besides that, what is helping me to navigate through turbulent times with more peace is being present in the moment, accepting things as they are, looking at them without judgement and moving forward from there.

I also believe that if we are willing to work through the limited beliefs we are holding on to and are willing to let go of things like perfectionism, self critisism, feeling overly responsible etc. we can avoid a lot of situations that cause feelings of being overwhelmed. Often we feel overwhelmed because we impose things on ourselves and because we set the bar very high for ourselves.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidi_in_heartland
• Other: Email: [email protected]