Heather Hannoura
Words: Aubrey Bramble

Heather Hannoura is a true Florida success story. Based in Gainesville, she creates fanciful original artwork, designs album art and merchandise for a number of well-known bands, and frequently goes on tour with her good friends, Alkaline Trio, to sell merch. I was lucky enough to ask her some questions about finding the balance between personal and professional creativity and the influence Florida has on her life and her art.

REAX:  What is it like touring with Alkaline Trio doing merch? Does that take away from having time to make your own art?
Heather Hannoura:  It's awesome! I get to travel the world and have fantastic adventures with my best friends. Whatever time has been lost from focusing on my art is easily made up for in all the inspiration gained from the people I've met on the road, and places I've seen, that I might not have otherwise.

REAX:  Where do you draw the inspiration for your creations from? 
HH: It's just what I do. I think anyone who creates anything would agree that what they create isn't the direct result of a conscious effort to do something a certain way. That's what makes it creative, that you are simply doing what you do. I prefer letting people have their own personal interpretations of the work, and letting the process remain a mystery.

REAX:  How are you usually approached by a band to design merch?
HH: Well I started doing stuff for Alkaline Trio simply because we were friends, then it grew into an actual job. At first it was usually bands who we toured with and/or made friends with on the road that would ask me to do stuff. I still do a lot of work with friends, but I also get a lot of random emails from people who have seen work that I've done, both merch designs and gallery exhibits, and want me to do something for them.

REAX:  What does The (Gainesville) Fest mean to you? Were you excited to have your art be a part of it this year?
HH: Honestly, the best part for me was hanging out with my friends who don't live here, but will be in town for that weekend. I was excited for sure, but no more than I'd be for any show I was a part of. I do think it's really great they (Vanessa at Mutiny PR and The Fest) branched out to include art (this show) and film (at the Civic Media Center) to make it about more than music, to get more people involved. That's exciting.

REAX:  What's great about living in Gainesville/Florida in general? What's here artistically/musically that isn't anywhere else?
HH: What's great? The rent is cheap, it's bike friendly, the beach is an hour's drive away in both directions (East or West), there are really good places to eat, super thrift stores, lots of swings, the trees are mossy, there are badass thunderstorms, something is always in bloom, it's a really pretty, classically quaint, Florida town. What's here artistically/musically? Not a fuck of a lot...but that's been really motivating for me.

REAX:  What plans do you have in the upcoming months, professionally/creatively?
HH: Well, I'm getting married mid-December so I'll probably hibernate a little art-show-wise for a couple of months this winter. I'm working on shows in San Francisco, Chicago and Tampa for early in the new year. I've got an exclusive t-shirt coming out through Hot Topic soon, so I'm ironing that out, and I'll also be doing a limited run of t-shirts on my own. Currently, I have a show up in Asbury Park, NJ at Crybaby Gallery (through November) and I just had one in Chicago at South Union Arts, which ended in October. And, Alkaline Trio will most likely start touring in the Spring so I'll be back on the road.

Visit Heather Hannoura on MySpace: myspace.com/heatherhannoura.