Heidi von Bergen, November 27, 2023
Item
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Title
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Heidi von Bergen, November 27, 2023
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interviewee
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Heidi von Bergen
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interviewer
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Micaela Wallace
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Date
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2023-11-27
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Subject
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Art
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Bennington College
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Canvas
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Clinton, NY
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Destruction
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Fire
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Marriage
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Moving
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Music
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New York City
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Painting
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Patterns
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Piano
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Sculpture
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Sculpture Space
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Textiles
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Welding
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Work
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Description
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Heidi von Bergen is a painter, musician, and registered nurse currently living in Clinton, NY with her husband of 55 years, John von Bergen. Heidi von Bergen was born in Shanghai, China in 1945. She moved at an early age to Canada where she remained until travelling to Bennington, VT to attend college for music. Von Bergen ultimately changed her major to art with a minor in psychology. Upon graduating, Heidi von Bergen moved to New York City where she met her husband. After moving to Clinton, NY in February 1978, they had one child, Erika. They have resided in their current home in Clinton, NY for forty-three and have an extensive estate with a guest house, foundry, and numerous sculptures crafted by John von Bergen.
Heidi von Bergen has sold and exhibited art for decades, including a piece currently on display (at the time of the interview) at the 4 Element Studio in Utica, NY. Von Bergen has pulled inspiration from artists such as Cezanne and works such as Claude Monet’s Water Lilies. Von Bergen was taught by the great art teachers and mentors at Bennington College: Ralph Humphrey, Isaac Witkin, Anthony Caro, Jules Olitski and Paul Feeley.
In her interview, von Bergen touches on her early childhood, life at Bennington College, her artwork, moving to New York, and the growth of the Utica, NY organization Sculpture Space. Heidi von Bergen is married to John von Bergen, one of the founders of Sculpture Space. John von Bergen was sitting-in during the interview and can occasionally be heard speaking or shifting his chair. I have chosen to omit false starts and fix grammatical errors in order to provide a clear narrative and conversation flow.
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Time Summary
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Track 1, 4:58 - Bennington College
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Track 1, 15:00 - New York City
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Track 1, 21:30 - Meeting John von Bergen
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Track 2, 4:40 - Moving to Clinton, NY
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Track 2, 14:38 - Sculpture Space
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Track 2, 25:03 - Current Home
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Creator
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Micaela Wallace
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Publisher
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Cooperstown Graduate Program, State University of New York at Oneonta
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Rights
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Sculpture Space, Utica, NY
