Heather Leier: 'Practice Pinny'

As a printmaker, Heather Leier is deeply attuned to embodied knowledge—the physical instincts and repeated actions that shape studio practice. The way one braces to pull a print, the gestures and tools involved, and the rituals that accompany the process all accumulate through repetition. Her practice pinny becomes a metaphor for this “costume of preparation,” echoing the apron worn in the print studio.

Repetition runs through the quilt-like prints, textile patterns, mini quilts, and soft sculptures. It becomes a soothing, regulating practice—one that builds habits and coping mechanisms to support the body and emotions amid daily anxieties. These anxieties stem from ordinary experiences as well as the dissonance between what is presented and what is real. The quilt motif introduces a female-centered practice that repurposes scraps and waste materials into objects of use, honouring histories of feminine and often invisible labour while centering and signifying care.

Humour and play also recur throughout the work, underscoring their essential role in the rhythms of daily practice. Leier highlights the masked and performative nature of institutional care through a printed pickleball court installed at the gallery’s center. The piece complicates the space, pointing to the absurdity of corporate wellness initiatives while still inviting play.

Across this body of work, Leier exposes and elevates both labour and creative practice, emphasizing their value while cautioning against their commodification. Interwoven throughout are themes of care—care for the body, for artistic labour, for coping amid everyday forms of violence, and for navigating institutional structures.

Enjoy first access to the exhibition, light refreshments and snacks, and words from the artist.