Perhaps you’ve heard of bluegirl Productions and wondered, who is this bluegirl? What’s her story?

Let’s turn back a few chapters to the early 1990s. Rock n’ roll (also known as “devil music” by evangelists and other spoilsports worldwide) was working its dark magic and influencing a young painter in Florida by the name of Heidi Calvert to take a step back from the easel and embrace a medium more accessible to capturing the essence of the moment at hand: photography. While she had long seen painting as the serious pursuit of her artistic expression, she found that taking pictures of bands performing live on stage was a natural extension of the sensibilities she had honed as a painter. Heidi found her experiments in mixing the mediums – painting over photographs –brought forth some pretty interesting developments and expanded her awareness of how two art forms she enjoyed so much could commingle and create a wholly unique artistic experience.

It took a while for her to connect what she saw as a hobby to a potential career in the arts; finally, like the shutter of a camera, it clicked: photography is a form of art as valid as painting, as long as it’s an honest articulation of one’s self! Why not share her unique visions with the world in a directly fulfilling way? Instead of resigning herself to a future dictated by the agendas of others, Heidi decided that she would forge her own path and enjoy herself along the way.

Fueling this spark of ambition was Heidi’s passionate, obsessive nature. Already possessing the creative ingredients necessary to succeed as an artist, enhancing her technical prowess with the equipment she’d need for her chosen vocation was the first logical step forward. Further education would begin at a local community college in 1993, earn her a Chairman’s Merit Scholarship for photography, and take her all the way to the School of Visual Arts in her dream location, New York City, in 1998.

Though unforeseen hard times in the big city worked to discourage Heidi from her enthusiasm, she refused to be so easily daunted. While others would chase away the blues with a guitar or a harmonica and a song about no money to put food on the table or how that no-good lover gone and done ‘em wrong, Heidi knew her therapy would be found through her art, and a resulting photo shoot produced stunning images of a “bluegirl” thanks to the use of infrared film. Overcoming this rough patch in her life inspired her to start bluegirl Productions with her sister in 2000, and the momentum continues. Now, Heidi is bi-coastal, dividing her time and her work between New York and Los Angeles, focusing mainly in erotic photography.

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Heidi’s latent talents in erotic photography were awakened when a friend asked if she’d mind taking some “naughty” pictures of her. While she’d done fashion and editorial work with women before, this was a new experience for Heidi. There had always been a subtle sensuality evident in her style, but this particular shoot awakened a completely new way of approaching her art and she found it liberating – it made her feel more erotic and freely expressive with her sexuality as she’d never before been able. With much encouragement and inspiration from friends, Heidi kept experimenting with erotica, and she’s still loving it. Published in a number of magazines including New York City’s Night and Time Out, and with upcoming shows featuring her work on both coasts, bluegirl Heidi Calvert is definitely carving out a bright future for herself in the International Photography Scene.

-Robert Glen Fogerty, 2003

Artist Highlights

• ArtWanted.com Gallery:    Photography
• Represented By:    bluegirl Productions