Interview
DAVID HEATWOLE thisartistsdream.com
Being an 11th generation artisan is no easy task, a title that artist David F Heatwole does not take lightly. When he is not travelling around the country inspiring the future generation of artists, David spends his time in the studio. In our conversation with him, David talks about his ongoing project “Handmade in America”, what inspires him and the importance of art at a community level amongst other topics. Is it true that your ancestors arrived from Germany 238 years ago? Could you tell us a bit about them and how their legacy influenced your art? My story is truly one of those that is stranger than fiction. It bewilders me so much that at times I wonder if I should give up everything and become a monk because there is obviously a divine creative hand behind it. I am the only child of an artist, author, historian John L. Heatwole III aka. The Wizard of Wood. It was my Dad that opened my mind to the arts and to learn about the long line of artisans in my family. According to him, I am an 11th generation artisan. There was a silversmith, furniture maker, potter, show maker, weavers, blacksmiths and more. Even though I was well aware of my heritage, my interest in this aspect of my life wasn’t
sparked to its fullest until after my Dad’s death on the 22nd day in November of 2006. As a child, I thought quite a bit about the fact that my dad was the third John L. Heatwole in a row. I only had the pleasure of meeting my grandfather a couple of times for a few minutes each time and just recall meeting my great grandfather once. It makes me sad to think of all the great talks I could have had with my Dad about family stories and history if I had only been interested in the family history when he was alive. When I was about 11 years old, I was in a graveyard with my father where many Heatwole relatives are buried. I had been there many times before with him, but there was this one particular visit when I was walking by myself. 70