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Sibling's September Swap
Originally published August 21, 2008

Growing up in the rural Fulton, IL, area, Brent E. Houzenga, 25, and his older sister, Heather, 29, always shared their creative ideas and drawings with one another. Even though they are both "all grown up" now, they still haven't outgrown using their imaginative right brain. Both young people also remain artistic in their careers.


This September the artistic siblings will not only "swap" their art ideas with one another, but will be "trading spaces" as well. Brent serves as assistant director of the Ankeny Art Gallery in Ankeny, IA, while Heather represents the Artists Cooperative of Savanna at 321 Art Gallery in Savanna, IL, both not for profit organizations. The two art galleries that each young artist represents have agreed to open their wall space to the other's sibling for a fall showing of their artwork.

Heather of Fulton, IL, graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA in 2001 & 2005 and is employed as a teacher of elementary art and English 9 at East Central Community Schools in Miles & Sabula, IA. Brent is currently residing in Des Moines, IA, having received his degree from Western Illinois University in Macomb, IL, and is a freelance graphic designer and writer. The two of them are also songwriters.

Heather's show, titled "Spirit Within" will be on display in the Ankeny Art Center's side gallery from September 1 until October 12, with an opening reception set for Saturday, September 6, from 6-9 p.m.

Brent's show, titled "Both Worlds" is set to open in Savanna two weeks later, Saturday, September 20, with a live, demonstrated "happening" event that afternoon, weather permitting, with reception to follow from 6- 9 p.m. The show will run through November 1.

Even though each artist went their separate way in life, their attentions seemed to have been pulled toward the same genres. Each artist has enjoyed and been influenced by the same styles, citing the Expressionistic Movement of the 1970's, with artists like Jasper Johns, Claes Oldenburg, Piet Mondrian, Andy Warhol and Jean Basqiat. Along with the combinational influence of their mother's antiques and father's farming, each has found their own distinct voice in their art.

"Almost all of my work is focused around a found object as the canvas, most of them being old windows," says Brent of his work. "I use a lot of spray paint, tape and home made stencils. By doing this on the window it allows me to paint backward."

A majority of Brent's work is created from turn of the century photos that were found put out for trash while he was in college. "I knew I wanted to use them for an art project, but I didn't know what I was going to do and didn't think that I would still be doing it over two years and a hundred pieces later."

Heather also had something similar to say about her work, commenting that her, "art has grown, evolved and taken its form from a vast number of things, materials and media. But, while the materials that I use may very with each project, a majority of my work serves a central theme, that of the unique spirit within the 'self', with a focus on societal constraints, religious piety and love gained and lost. I'm not as concerned with the concrete image as I am with the feeling conveyed."

While one artist portrays the spirit of life within, the other remembers them with their ghostly, almost discarded, image: memories tossed away. Both siblings are changing the way people view each other and themselves through their art. "Just think, some day we will be thrown out to waste, just ink on a piece of paper. Will our image make the same impression?" commented Brent.

To view more of Brent or Heather's work, please visit www.brenthouzenga.com or www.myspace.com/heatherhouzenga.