Heidi Clifford aka Primary Child
Altar Response
241 S. Third St.
Artist Statement
This floral fueled installation describes color changes certain flowers have undergone in response to climate change. These responses show up as visible and invisible, ultraviolet color shifts from white to purple petals, and vice versa. These shifts don’t necessarily entail decay, but do affect how bees and other animals see and interact with them for pollination. The floral backdrop highlights six different species of flowers, varying in size and detail. One larger, rotating flower hung from above, is balanced with two large hands anchored on the floor and posed to the audience’s point of view. They hold small floral chains—one lively, one decaying—showing these issues are in our hands, too. An altar response is to a call from a pastor or other spiritual leader—the call is from Mother Earth. We must alter our responses now, to show our commitment to serving our planet, our home.
Artist Bio
Heidi Clifford a.k.a. Primary Child, is a muralist and graphic designer based in the Franklinton neighborhood of Columbus, OH. She works with clients across multiple industries. Through mural making, Clifford explores different painting styles and how to meet a variety of needs such as interior and exterior work, and sign painting. Additionally, she creates fine artworks and large scale tissue paper installations. Since her childhood in Canton, Ohio, she has nurtured a love for color and art. She found that depicting hands and using expressive mark-making techniques drew her interest, resulting in a senior thesis exploring the relationship between the hands and face, and how they interact to show emotion. She earned her BFA from Columbus College of Art & Design in 2018.
