Mary Heilmann, an American painter whose work was informed by her earlier focus on ceramics and sculpture, has died aged 86.
Heilmann's artistic journey began with ceramics after studying at the University of California, Santa Barbara, from 1959-62. She later pursued a ceramics and sculpture MA at Berkeley in 1965, before moving into painting by the late 1960s.
Known for her unconventional approach, Heilmann's 2016 show at the Whitechapel Gallery in London featured wheeled wooden chairs, including 'Sunny Chair for the Whitechapel', which were also considered artworks. Her paintings often incorporated elements such as finger painting techniques and a fascination with breakage, reflecting her background as a ceramicist and sculptor.
Heilmann moved to New York in 1968 and later had a series of shows with dealer Holly Solomon starting in 1976. Her 1979 exhibition, which featured paintings using an 'acid, eye-popping pink' colour, was met with a critical reception that she described as 'borderline misogynistic'. She later exhibited with gallerist Pat Hearn and, from 1997, with Hauser & Wirth, leading to international solo exhibitions.