Artist’s Statement

Values, aesthetics, social norms, and conventions are products manufactured and consumed by all societies. Societies are formed from and create social constructs that guide each individual’s choices or possibilities in life. Marginalization, segregation, hierarchies, and identities are maintained by social structures and social constructs. I am interested in understanding the above processes within the environments that I am culturally influenced by. Through my work I challenge myself by continually re-examining my social environments and the structures found within.

I paint as a means to express my views of social constructs and structures found within societies. I base my subjects on digital images of actual places and situations I transgress. I am attracted to the average everyday events, moments, and objects: therefore, the choice of acrylic medium seemed natural to me due to its affordable accessibility.

Biography

Born in 1981, Heather Froste is Nlakap’amux from the Snapaa territory in the interior of B.C. Raised in Vernon,  Froste later moved west, spending time in Victoria, Vancouver, and the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Following her longtime dream of becoming a visual artist, Froste enrolled in the contemporary arts program at Simon Fraser University. Whilst pursuing her degree in Fine Arts, she became interested in understanding the social construction of identity and in critiquing the social structures formed through a history of colonialism that she encountered.  After completing her degree in 2003, she obtained a Post-Degree Certificate in Aboriginal Studies at Langara College in 2005.The social construction of the ‘other’ and the ‘authentic Indian’ in combination with the effects of sexism and racism on her own identity formation became Froste’s main focus during her earlier work of mixed media installations.

After traveling abroad in 2006, Froste began using digital photography and acrylic on canvas as her main choice of medium. In 2009 she received a Bachelor of Education from UBCO and worked for two years in South Korea.  Currently her artwork reflects her experiences traveling and her exploration of human interactions, aesthetic values, cultural perspectives, and social history.