By Nick P. Yulico
Daily Bruin Contributor
Whether you consider yourself a novice or professional artist
doesn’t make a difference to Tim Heritage.
People ranging from a 6-month-old toddler to Westwood Horizon
retirement residents in their 80s and 90s have painted panels in
his installation project, titled “Environmental Mural
Sculpture,” which is displayed at the T. Heritage Gallery at
1109 Gayley Ave.
“The general mission of the project is to promote positive
ideas through the use of art,” said Heritage, who launched
the project.
Heritage began the program in 1995 with the idea that everyone
could find therapy in art.
Since then, about 750 individual paintings have been assembled
into large stacked cubes, which stand like columns in the gallery.
The work encompasses ideas and reflections of school children and
businessmen alike.
On the top floor of the large, open-spaced gallery hangs a
massive three-dimensional circular cube, three-feet in diameter,
from the middle of the ceiling. Alternating pentagonal and
hexagonal panels display rainbows, birds, seascapes and peace
symbols in bright acrylic colors.
One highly visible panel reads: “Appreciate Difference,
Celebrate Diversity.”
Most of the painting is done in the gallery for free, with
quality acrylic paints provided.
On Tuesday, Richard Norwood, a fourth-year political science and
business student at UCLA, was painting a panel.
“Wow, you’re using so many paints,” Heritage
said to the student, who was mixing colors before beginning his
panel. This grabbed Norwood’s attention.
“Oh, I’m just kidding,” Heritage said.
Such exchange is characteristic of Heritage’s warm and
open manner with painters and volunteers.
“It’s inspiring to be a part of the project,”
Norwood said. “It’s an excellent opportunity for the
community to facilitate artistic endeavors in an extremely
pragmatic way.”
Born in Los Angeles, Heritage opened his first art gallery in
1993. His art explores social issues and centers largely on the
theme of innocence in animals.
Last year, he worked with students at the Warner Avenue School
in Westwood. The students painted panels, which Heritage assembled
into a large cube, similar to the one that hangs in his gallery.
The cube was auctioned off, with proceeds going to the school.
“The kids are happy that they get to paint something
nice,” Heritage said.
Heritage slightly altered the mission of the installation
project this year to focus on promoting positive ideas for
Westwood’s future. Part of this mission is to get people
involved in revitalizing art in a once-strong artistic
community.
“It’s a good thought to bring people together like
this,” said Michael Pace, a worker at the gallery and
exhibited artist there.
The installation, which will be displayed in Westwood soon, is
an ongoing project that will extend far into the future, Heritage
said.
For information on how to get involved, call Tim Heritage at
(310) 208-1896.