Heather Hutton

Aspiring Artist Metalworker, Knoxville, TN

Words I live by: Don’t sweat the petty and don’t pet the sweaty!

The best thing I ever won: Bingo at the age of 12! $100 dollars feels like millions when you’re 12.

Last major purchase: Piper Cub J-3 Fuselage that I plan to convert into a hanging aircraft sculpture.

If I could do it all over again: I would have remembered to give grace to the people I love, especially those who are not here today.

The most important thing I ever lost: The courage to achieve my dreams, until
I found it again recently while wondering through a metal shop.

The worst idea I’ve ever had: Wanting to join the military. I thought I was going to
be the first female Top Gun pilot, but missed the memo that fighter jets kill people.

I can’t live without: Health insurance (a growing epidemic), Idgy & Rex (our two dogs), and my soul mate Olivier M. Odom.

If I could be totally wild, I would: Load my shop in the back of a truck and become a traveling artist.

My work:I restored vintage airplanes, but a year ago decided to pursue the dream of becoming a metal sculptor.

The smartest woman I know: Roberta Butler, who helped raise me. I called her “Big Momma.” She left a legacy of unconditional love with an unrelenting courage to stand up for what she believed.

My favorite possession: My Snap-On Tool Box. It’s got wheels and it’s large enough to make out on. (Did I say that out loud?)