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Jeffery James Hettwer (b. April 24, 1978 - d. June 14, 2008) was a prolific contemporary American painter whose career ended at the age of 30 when he was killed by a drunk driver. Hettwer was widely known in the Minneapolis/St Paul community for the diversity of his work. Hettwer's paintings were displayed at a memorial art show that was held in the artist's honor at the Walker Art Center in July of 2008 and are now being submitted for donation into the museum's permanent collection.[1]
Life
The younger of two sons, Hettwer was born on April 24, 1978 in Coon Rapids, Minnesota to Jack and Jan Hettwer.[2] His father was a coordinator from the Minneapolis Plumbers Union[3] and his mother was a branch manager for a regional real estate firm.[4] Hettwer graduated from Blaine High School in 1996. In October of 1996, at the age of 18, Hettwer and his high school sweetheart, Kelly Berg moved to Carmichael, California and then on to Mountain View, California in 1998. In 2001 the pair moved back to Minnesota where they married at Afton Apple Orchard, the site of their first date. Later that year Hettwer moved into an art studio in the Northrup King Building in Northeast, Minneapolis.[5]
The next seven years would be the most prolific period of Hettwer's life. His paintings varied widely in style and in size. At the time of Hettwer's death there were over 130 original paintings found in his Minneapolis studio including a 6' x 10' piece entitled "Iraq" that was found on his easel unfinished, with the paint still wet.[6]
Art
 | This section possibly contains original research. (June 2009) |
While Hettwer's work does include drawings, photos, and a small collection of pottery and ceramics, Hettwer would best be described by the Minneapolis CBS news affiliate as "an accomplished painter".[7] Hettwer used Old Holland oil paints for their high pigment content and insisted on fully archival products to extend the life expectancy of his work. [8] [9]
Hettwer's paintings can be broken down into these five categories:
Figures
- Most of Hettwer's figures were painted in the late 1990's when he lived in Northern California. These works are largely comprised of self-portraits, female busts, and nudes. A common thread in these early paintings is the bright use of color with most of the paint being mixed directly on the canvas rather than on the palate. As Hettwer studied the works of Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso you see their cubist influence on his 1997-1998 figures beginning with the 1997 piece, "Chicago Drummer".[10] [9]
Drips
- In early 2000 Hettwer began to move into nonrepresentational art with a series of "Drip" paintings. This period of Hettwer's work was largely inspired by early abstract experssionist painter Jackson Pollock. In this collection of work Hettwer uses color to evoke a mood by creating multiple layers of color which are applied to the top of the canvas and allowed to drip down the piece. [9]
Monoprints
- 2002 began Hettwer's journey into Monoprinting. In this process paint was applied to plexiglass plates and then printed onto paper to create an original image. Hettwer then added to each piece with hand touched details applied by brush. [9]
Abstract Perspective
- The Abstract perspective series began in 2005 with Hettwer's love of architecture. While striving to bring structure to his paintings, Hettwer began working at the drafting table to create two point perspective drawings. In these drawings he would leave many of the lines that connected his shapes to their vanishing points. After hours at the drafting table Hettwer would apply his drawings to canvas to create images that remind many of his followers of stained glass. [9]
Others
- This category encompasses all other works by Hettwer which include landscapes, cityscapes, and other representational pieces, as well as a large collection of pure abstractions. The last three paintings that Hettwer finished before his death would fall into this category as he prepared to begin a series of paintings that would have been yet another vast departure from his previous works. [9]
Legacy
Hettwer was involved in every aspect of his work from creating his own stretcher bars and stretching his own canvas to milling the frames for his paintings from raw lumber.[11] Hettwer's work can be identified by the JH that he applied to the lower right hand corner of each piece. In some cases he would only sign the back of the canvas so as not to distract from the image. From 1995 to 2000 Hettwer inserted a small smiley face into each of his paintings, a sign of the artist's age and sense of humor.
Following Hettwer's death a memorial art show was held for him at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[1] The event featured examples of each of Hettwer's varied styles.
Mentions of Note
June 30, 2008 | WCCO News Clip
Artist Killed In Crash Gets Work Shown At Walker | wcco.com
Charges Expected In Crash That Killed MN Artist | wcco.com
Drunken Driver Sentenced for Killing Ham Lake Artist | wcco.com
Remembering Jeff Hettwer | Secrets of the City
Photo shoot conducted in Jeff Hettwer's Studio | Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine
Memorial Art Show for Jeff Hettwer at the Walker Art Center | NEMAA.org
Funeral service for Jeffrey James Hettwer | ABC Newspaper
Ham Lake artist Jeffery J. Hettwer Killed | Kare11.com
Jeffrey Hettwer, a decorated artist from Ham Lake | Star Tribune
Jeffery Hettwer Obituary | Star Tribune
References
- ^ a b Secrets of the City, Secrets of the City by Kate Iverson, July 8, 2008.
- ^ Obituary, Star Tribune obituary publishes June 18, 2008.
- ^ MMCA, Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association Newsletter.
- ^ Jan Hettwer-Dummer
- ^ WCCO, Sue Turner reporting - July 9, 2008.
- ^ WCCO, Liz Collin reporting - June 30, 2008.
- ^ WCCO, "accomplished painter"
- ^ Old Holland, Products general information.
- ^ a b c d e f Kelly Hettwer, wife of the artist
- ^ Aspiring Artist's Debut, Sacramento Fine Art Center
- ^ WCCO, Liz Collin television news interview - June 30, 2008.
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 | This page needs additional or more specific categories. (June 2009) |