made with radical love, hope, & praxis
heather is an angry gemini earth dragon, multiracial, asian, queer, cisgender, disabled, survivor/surviving, anxious, and depressed womxn of color artist and educator based in st. paul, Mni-sota, which is the hxstorical occupied land of the Dakota and Anishinaabe peoples.
heather is from the torrance/gardena, california area, the home of the Kizh (keech) peoples. she spent her childhood with her Taishanese grandmother eating persimmons and learning about community through food, storytelling, and a good game of mahjong with the aunties.
as a post-structuralist and futurist scholar-practitioner, she has focused on arts-based research and assessment, critical mixed raced studies, womxn of color feminism, first amendment rights, and dismantling white supremacy within institutional practices. she has worked at a multitude of institutions and in a variety of functional areas- with the goal to center and empower the people with the most marginalized and minoritized experiences.
her more recent work focuses on Asian and Black solidarity and coalition building movements, dismantling anti-Blackness within Asian communities, addressing hxstorical trauma and continued violence against Asian womxn/femmes/elders/youth throughout the COVID pandemic and beyond, and utilizing art as a method of continued intergenerational healing for queer and trans Black, Indigienous, People of Color.
in her spare time, heather loves birdwatching, snuggling sprout and loon (her pups), hiking for self-care, playing her ukulele, and spending time with her loving partner.
hcl also helps co-organize support local hustle, a black, indigenous, people of color makers collective in the twin cities. for more information about this group, go to instagram and follow @supportlocalhustle!
updates & information
what hclou ART has been up to...
2020 has been a whirlwind and COVID-19 has changed the art community drastically. arts events have been cancelled, postponed, or streamed online. as a visual artist who thrives on community building, that is quite challenging! i've created block prints addressing covid, digital art about resilience, distributed coloring books, and am in the process of illustrating a book.
i've been named as a springboard 20/20 fellow, CAAL spark leadership fund recipient, springboard combatting isolation grant recipient, hennepin theatre trust billboard art curator, twin cities zine fest lead artist, northern spark artist council member, st. paul east side solidarity street gallery participant, and much more. this year has proven that despite being 6+ feet or more apart, my community and connection is stronger than ever- and that art, advocacy, and expression are needed more than ever to help us all navigate and alchemize the trauma of the immediate past, present, and future.
in the midst of a terribly difficult year, i feel so honored to be able to be in community and contribute through creativity, dog portraits (haha), and by facilitating remote/online art lessons to youth.
upcoming events
visit hclou art near you!
L. A. M. (Little Asia Market) Pop-Up
Celebrating Asian Makers and Artists
Arbeiter Brewing
sunday, june 13 | 12-5pm | 3038 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406
L. A. M. (Little Asia Market) Pop-Up will celebrate Asian artists on June 13, 2021 at Arbeiter Brewing and bring forth the work they are creating. The event will be indoor and outdoor and socially distanced for COVID-19 regulations.
As we saw the shift in Asian hate crimes rise over the last year in the country, it seemed another Asian American was the victim of an apparent hate crime, with Asian women making up a higher share of reported hate crimes than Asian men. Members of the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) community are behind many of the products that make up the craft show market in the Twin Cities. Each of these Asian artists/makers that will take part in LAM were chosen to show the resilience and steadfastness of the community.
It’s not just “Stop Asian Hate.”
It’s celebrate Asian joy.
It’s uplift Asian artists.
It’s support Asian businesses.
It’s protect Asian communities.
It’s recognize Asian accomplishment.
Artists (In alphabetical order)
Coconut Whisk / Vegan & gluten-free food brand / coconutwhisk.com
Hclou Art / Mixed media artwork / hclouart.com
Kari Lee / Novelty items and handmade mini creations / Instagram @karileeart
Maat Mons / Upscale bags and goods / https://maatmonsmpls.com/
Npauj / Statement jewelry / https://npauj.com/
Romi Apothecary / Sustainable health and beauty product / www.romiapothecary.com
Sisterland / Timeless children’s clothing / www.sisterland.co
Spinning Wylde / Specialty cotton candy / www.spinningwylde.com
Third Daughter, Restless Daughter / Sarcastic and snarky cross stitches / 3drdcrafts.com
Willow Print Studio / Screen Printing / Instagram @willowprintstudio
Wondrous Crane / Functional ceramics made with love / wondrouscrane.com
Food Truck
Union Hmong Kitchen / Food that features Hmong culture, stories, foods, and flavors / unionkitchenmn.com
Donation to The SEAD Project
We’ll be raising money for the Southeast Asian Diaspora Project by donating $1 from all pint & crowler sales the day of the event in additional to donations from the local makers from product sales. / theseadproject.org
The SEAD Project: The SEAD Project started in 2011 with the vision of a group of Southeast Asians who wanted to not only connect with their roots and heritage but to think bigger and beyond preservation. We’re growing a diaspora movement. To rethink and reimagine and reshape what’s possible in sustainable community development and growth for a thriving community with a pivoted focus on empowering Southeast Asian leaders, women and young people. Since 2015, SEAD is a legally recognized 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and a satellite office in Vientiane, Laos.
Hosted by
Arbeiter Brewing Company - Arbeiter Brewing Company is a brewery and taproom crafting highly approachable beers from a wide range of beer styles, some with a hefty German influence, others showcasing new and experimental styles, barrel aged beers, as well as some tasty NA options.
Third Daughter, Restless Daughter - Third Daughter, Restless Daughter began not as a definitive response to create, but as a response to mimic their grandmother’s Hmong embroidery. Through humor, Youa & Wone came up with pieces that they like — whether it brings financial gain or not — as long as they connect to the pieces. The most important constant is the hard work and integrity that they put into every project they do. Talent will only get you so far; it’s the dedication and passion that you put into each craft that stands out.
MIA virtual event: queer community zine making
friday, june 4 | 5pm cst | zoom
This event is hosted by the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA).
How do we alchemize the events and experiences of the past year? In the midst of grief, how do we access our slivers of joy? How do we honor and celebrate queer generations of past and those to come? Join hclou in this zine-making and healing session to learn different zine folding techniques and find ways to access the magic of our queer community.
Registration not necessary; check back on June 4th for the Zoom link!
Materials needed:– 1 to 5 sheets of 8 x 11.5 inch paper– scissors– pen or pencil– anything additional you would like to use to decorate with! (markers, stickers, magazines for collage, etc.)
workshops and facilitations
hcl is available for workshops and facilitations for organizations, colleges, universities, groups, etc.
all workshops are a minimum of 2 hours and focus on identity, inclusion, and intergenerational healing techniques. custom workshops are also available as they pertain to equity, assessment, creating healthy workplaces, communication styles, leadership, and more.
your organization can also request custom art for events or giveaways, or as a way to decorate the workplace!
email for more information.
block print and activism workshop
participants will learn how to carve a block and create their own 5.5x7.5" activist prints.
zine making workshop
participants will learn about the hxstory of zines and create their own pieces to share in community.
watercolor affirmation postcard workshop
participants will develop their own watercolor affirmation postcards and dialogue about healing in community.