Heidi Wastweet is a leading American Medallist and sculptor who specializes in bas-relief bronzes. In conjunction with a wide variety of private mints she has produced over 1000 coins, medals, tokens and rare coin replicas since 1987. She was chief engraver for Sunshine Mint for 11 years and lead designer/sculptor for Global Mint for 5 years. In 2001 she opened her own studio and relocated from Idaho to Seattle Washington in 2003 and then to San Francisco Bay in 2013. She serves as vice president for the American Medallic Sculpture Association and is former president and founder of Seattle Sculpture Guild as well as a member of FIDEM. She has been shown in Coin World and Coinage magazine and exhibits her non-commission work regularly including the National Sculpture Society in New York and the Bellevue Art Museum in Washington. In 2010 she was invited to serve a four year term on the Citizen's Coinage Advisory Commitee for the US Mint in Washington DC and is now serving her second term.
Medal and coin credits include a 7 coin set issued by the Sultanate of Darfur, Asian Hall of Fame Award medal, the Dean's Award for Seattle University School of Law, Alumnus Award for Stephen F. Austin University, Mayo Clinic visiting physicians medal, Stanford University Alumni medal and Island records Willie Nelson portrait. In addition to medalic art she has also created a number of public art pieces including a recent commission for the University of Washington's Medal of Honor Monument in Seattle and eight bronze relief panels for 12 foot high church doors for St. Paul's in Pensacola, Florida.
Born Redwood City, California, US 1969
Resides in Albany CA (San Francisco Bay Area)
SELECTED SOLO & GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2016 Selected Works by Rainey Master Sculptors, 2014-2016 Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC
FIDEM Art Medal Congress, Gent, Belgium
2015 Residency at Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC
2014 FIDEM Art Medal Congress, juried show, Sofia Bulgaria
Go for a Loop Gallery, Under the Table invitational, San Francisco CA
Oakland Silver & Gold, solo exhibit, Oakland CA
Awarded 3rd place Best Art Medal in China 2013
2013 AMSA Anniversary Exhibit, Bellevue Art Museum Education Wing, Bellevue WA*
*Best in show curator’s choice award
AMSA Anniversary Exhibit, Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC
2012 FIDEM Art Medal Congress, juried show, Glasgow, UK
2011 Brookgreen Gardens, The Art Medal: Past and Present, curated show, Murrells Inlet, SC
2010 FIDEM Art Medal Congress, juried show, Tampere Finland
2009 Gage Academy, group show, Seattle WA
2007 Jade Moon, featured artist, Ellensburg WA
2006 Form Space Light Gallery, Pacific NW Sculptors group show, Seattle WA
Sam Day Gallery, "Women by Women" group show, Seattle WA
2005 Sam Day Gallery, solo show, Seattle WA
Forest Lawn Museum, American Medallic Sculpture Assoc. juried show, Los Angeles CA
2004 Art Spirit Gallery, Small Works Invitational, Coeur d'Alene ID
Sam Day Gallery, solo show, Seattle WA
Nordic Heritage Museum, American Medallic Sculpture Assoc. juried show, Seattle WA
2003 Raw Space, group exhibit, Spokane, WA
2002 Pen & Brush Club, 56th Annual Juried Sculpture Show, New York NY
National Sculpture Society, juried exhibit, New York NY
2000 Art Spirit Gallery, Small Works Invitational, Coeur d'Alene ID
American Academy of Equine Art, juried exhibit, Atlanta GA
1999 Lake City Playhouse, solo photography exhibit, Coeur d'Alene ID
Eastern Washington University, solo photography exhibit, Cheney WA
1996 Art On The Green, juried exhibit, Coeur d'Alene ID
1988 North Idaho College, school show, Coeur d'Alene ID, *best in show
1986 Art On The Green, juried show, Coeur d'Alene ID
PUBLIC & PRIVATE COMMISSIONS
2009 University of Washington, Medal of Honor monument (team project)
2008 St. Paul's church, Pensacola FL
University of Washington, Suzzallo Library Nobel Wall portraits, Seattle WA
2007 Ninth Street Medical Building, dedication portrait plaque, Portland OR
2003 Cheney High School, portrait of Astronaut Michael Anderson, Cheney WA
2000 City of Coeur d'Alene, Fire Station 3, Coeur d’Alene ID
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2010-2014 Special Government Employee, CCAC, advisor to US Mint, Washington DC
1998-2002 Global Minting Co., Chief Engraver, Las Vegas Nevada
1987-1998 Sunshine Minting Co., Chief Engraver, Coeur d'Alene Idaho
PUBLICATIONS
2014 Catalog, FIDEM exhibit, Bulgaria
2012 Catalog, FIDEM exhibit, Scotland
The Medal, British Art Medal Society magazine, Autumn
2011 Seattle Times, The Arts, July 24
2010 Catalog, FIDEM exhibit, Finland
2005 Catalog, AMSA at Forest Lawn Museum, Los Angeles
2006 Coin World, Oct
2005 COINage, April
ORGANIZATIONS
American Medallic Sculptor Association (AMSA)
2010-Present Vice President
2003-2009 Treasurer
The International Medal Federation (FIDEM)
Seattle Sculptor's Guild - founder
LECTURES & PRESENTATIONS
2013 Iowa State University Greenlee School of Journalism; “Free Speech in the Arts”
2012 Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association
Seattle Metals Guild, Seattle WA
2011 Boeing Numismatic Club, Seattle WA
AMSA/NSS Medallic Sculpture Symposium
2011 Granted Faculty Study, UNCC, Charlotte NC
2010 Rotary Club, Edmonds WA
1999 Hayden Lake Elementary, Hayden ID
PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
Offner Sculpture Center at Brookgreen Gardens, Merial Inlet, SC
SELECT MINTING CLIENTS
Stanford University, Stephen F Austin State University, Mayo Clinic, Industrial Light Magic, Bellagio Casino, Boeing, Boston Library, Island Records/Willie Nelson, Children's Miracle, Network, Caesar's Palace, Fur Rendezvous Alaska, Hilton, The History Channel, Idaho Fish and Game, Lewis and Clark Festival, Luxor Casino, Mandalay Bay, Casino, Michigan Ducks Unlimited, New York New York Casino, Treasure Island Casino, US Forest Service, Washington Mint, Folsom State Prison, California Ducks Unlimited, Hoover Dam, Los Angeles Police Department, NC State University
Set of 7 non-circulated coins for the Sultanate of Darfur
Medal presented to Pope John Paul II
Medal presented to President Gorbachev