Jeff Hein and the Unveiling of “As a Hen Gathereth,” February 17, 2012, Salt Lake City, Utah.

I attended Jeff Hein’s “unveiling” of his most recent painting, "As a Hen Gathereth," on February 17, 2012. These are great events, and they give one a chance to walk around the Hein Academy of Art which can be many things: inspiring, exciting, humbling, and depressing.

The working space for the students is smaller than one would expect, with the locations located very close to each other. Not a lot of elbow room. However, the works in progress, and the student work on the walls are stunningly well done and inspiring. It’s all from models or still life, and only the first, introductory assignments are from two-dimensional reference.

I walk away from a visit to the Hein Academy of Art with a few different, and sometimes conflicting, thoughts in my head. First, is the desire to quit my job and enroll there. I want to do artwork like that. Second, is the evil thought that comes into my mind: To just give up now, I’ll never be able to do art like that and I should just stop trying. Third, is how a visit there throws into sharp relief how far away I have landed from my own artistic dreams. A junior high art teacher? A screen printer of t-shirts? This is what I am? Depressing. I think I should stop this train of thought right now or the one or two of my students who might read this might get their feelings hurt…

A picture of Jeff Hein's painting is below, and it does not do justice to the original.  The texture and brush strokes are impossible to see and appreciate. I thought it was a stunning success.

Also exhibited were two of Jeff Hein’s sculptures. One was of an elephant in a moment of action. It was cast in bronze, and I certainly wouldn’t mind having a copy of it, especially as a potential still-life drawing subject. Another was a bronze of several sheep with very long hair, captured in a moment of action. Extremely impressive. The sculpting of the hair must have been very time-consuming.

Jeff Hein was available to talk to the visitors, I listened in on a few conversations that he was having, but I didn’t comment or speak to him. Refreshments were available, and I must admit, I enjoyed the doughnut holes. I hope there are more events like this in future.