HEIKO WEINER
Suhl, Germany
Heiko was born in Suhl, a small town in the Thuringia Forrest of what was then East Germany and spent his childhood in that area. Surrounded by picturesque trees and mountains, he was often outside, eventually becoming an expert cross-country runner and skier. Another prominent feature of those small German towns was a set of creative people who loved working with their hands and creating toys and figurines. Heiko’s grandfather was an avid carpenter, and he spent many summers in his shop, learning a variety of traditional European crafts. His parents would also take him often to see the work of craftspeople in the surrounding mountain villages.
Heiko is a member of the Wood Symphony Artist Society, the American Association of Woodturners, AAW, RAW Natural Born Artist group, and has participated in some of their showcase events in the U.S. His work has been featured in several local newspapers and in a local Houston TV appearance with the Colonial Art Association. Viewers are drawn to each piece’s high level of craftsmanship and originality.
When he is not in his studio, Heiko can often be found out in nature. As an accomplished endurance athlete, he has traveled extensively, visiting more than two dozen countries, and meeting an interesting mix of local people, politicians, and celebrities along the way. The opportunities to explore different regions of the world, together with the multicultural experiences, have had a major influence on his appreciation of different cultures and on how he approaches his artwork today. Additionally, he is a scientist by training, and this “has greatly helped in solving some of the technical challenges associated with my art, but has also kept me innovating, challenging my curiosity, and pushing my creativity towards ever more sophisticated or complex designs,” Weiner says. “In return, my art also provides a welcome balance to the more technical demands of my career.”
