Not Too Sweet
Artist Hope Heart
Debut Exhibition by Tattoo Artist Hope Heart
Story and photos by Sarah-Beth Constantin-Furlong
“If you had a brick house and painted it pink, it would still hold the same as a brick house, even though it looked soft and squishy,” says local artist Hope Heart, whose debut art exhibit Not Too Sweet aims to prove that pink and strength are not mutually exclusive. The exhibit will break onto the local art scene with an opening on February 6 at the Co.Lab Gallery + Arts Centre, and bridge the gap between all things beautiful, pink, and frilly, and bold, powerful, and fierce.
“It’s kind of about my love for Valentine’s day in a certain way,” she says. Heart’s sweet yet biting displays will feature delicate flowers wrapped in chains, weapons adorned in pearls and engraved with hearts, and lovely pink bows juxtaposed against a stark black backdrop. “Strength doesn’t have to cancel out cuteness [...] sweetness doesn’t have to be opposing to strength or resilience, or fierceness,” says Heart. “Something so sweet and so cute can still be made of steel underneath.”
Heart currently works at Finders Keepers Tattoo and has been tattooing for nearly five years. Not Too Sweet will primarily feature pieces that she creates digitally, then transfers onto custom cut pieces of wood. She uses Mod Podge to stick a printed version of her digital creations onto the wood, then wipes away the paper, and the print stays behind. Heart will also display a few paintings and engravings.
When you walk into her personal studio, you’ll find the whole room completely cloaked in her favourite colour, giving you a taste of her show which she describes as “overwhelmingly pink.” When you check out the exhibit, don’t miss out on viewing her roaring pink tiger—a prominent piece that conveys Not Too Sweet’s ideas of vulnerability and toughness simultaneously.
Not Too Sweet will be on display at Co.Lab Gallery + Arts Centre until from February 6-15. You can see more of Heart’s artwork on her Instagram @hopehearttattoo.
