We had the good fortune of connecting with Heidi Zin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heidi, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
Learning to know and see who I am and what my gifts to offer are. Learning to be alone with myself and following my inner voice of guidance came more as I matured. I became the artist i knew I was inside, away from all the comparisons, conditioning and should’s I could hear in the outside world. I developed the habit of asking myself “What would I love?” well, I love to create and draw from my inner world so that is what I have gone after. That gets me excited about my work?

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I never gave up, it was not a choice for me. I was born with an artist spirit. I loved to draw, and I would get inspiration from nature and my inner world. I am very observant. It was not easy, yet i knew no other way forward for me, I tried….but I always needed to return to my inner world. That would excite me, and keep me moving forward and discovering more creatively. All I wanted to do was make objects, to find an inner form, my own vision.

in 2011, I had a severe accident. I hit my head to boulders out on the Channel Islands. I received a TBI, which changed my life considerably. I now was unable to use my arms and neck, etc….to create with. In depression, I went inward and heard to paint differently. I began painting with my feet, my feet danced with color. excitement welled up and I could feel and see a way forward. I was still able to create, yet it was another part of my journey. I, went for an excitement feeling, I became pretty good at painting with my feet. As I did this, spirit led me on a journey of self healing you could say. eventually I was able to start scratching the surface with a pencil again. I would trace my body on large sheets of paper and then standing before the white paper would enquire what do I need to see, becoming aware of what was within me. I began the I AM series of drawings.

the lesson I learned along the way is I am not a quitter, never give up, one never knows how adversity will effect you. That trauma may end up to be a great benefit in ones life and what do I LOVE

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living in Ojai, I would show them the natural beauty of the area. We would drive out the 150 to the coast, an exquizite drive of natural beauty, deer, hawks, fields of expanse. We would drive to Santa Barbara and have a nice lunch along State street, love healthy food and sharing it. A good coffee a must, and art supply stores are always fun or a good bookstore and galleries. Find some good trees to go sit with.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have studied Shamanism for the past few decades, a process of direct revelation and receiving messages from spirit. Its a process of removing all the conditioning from society and what holds us back. For me it often was my own thoughts and perceptions. I thank all those relationships that may have been difficult but asked me to grow and expand. I thank my guides Hank Wesselman ,Jill Kuykendahl, Kerri Hummingbird and all my close friends that journeyed along with me and offered me support and encouraged me to keep going on my path.

Website: https://www.zinart.com

Instagram: heidi_zin

Facebook: heidi@zinart.com

Other: new website on the way with the drawings

Image Credits
photos of artwork
Tony Mastres
image of Heidi
Dr. Schuyler

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSoCal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.