Flaking The World With The Chooky Hand
By Jeff Alexander
"Flaking the world is certainly a conviction of mine because I'm a '70s kid, I was always drawn to bright, flake jobs and that appears in a lot of my work," stated Heidi Frucella.
Gravitating to Americana 'rods and pinstripe designs, Heidi shared she was always exposed to moto culture having played bass in a band and eventually budgeting to score a '52 Ford Shoebox at the ripe age of 20, old enough to propel forward and still young enough to have youthful enthusiasm as a key driver.
"I was playing bass in a rockabilly band in Maryland and there was a small circle of friends that were always into music and drawing hot rod monsters. I was working for a trade show company and building sets, learning how to paint. I eventually worked for a sign painting shop and was really into painting flames, fade paint designs trying to emulate the great Gene Winfield," laughed Frucella.
As Heidi's skills quickly evolved, she learned just as fast that her creativity did not align with her employer, so she worked to transition to Pennsylvania and open her first business, appropriately titled Heidi's Hot Rods in 2001.
"No major issues working at the sign shop but they were more like signs for main street while I was into bold flames and flakes and kustom kulture. Some funny initial challenges being in rural PA was when I showed up for a paint job people would always ask where my husband was! I never got in anyone's face, just watch me throw down and get things done," reflected Frucella.
Embracing Americana, classic 'rods, and aesthetics inspired from the greats such as Winfield, Heidi organically grew her business largely by word-of-mouth. Concept murals for motorcycle airbrush designs ultimately took Heidi on a unique path in 2004.
"There was a lot of factory workers in the area and eventually, my work spread to one of the plant managers who just so happened to be a hot rod guy! So, when business was a bit slow I was doing all these murals to enhance building designs and morale. I did work for Snapple and Yoo-hoo and was even in some company meetings, which was wild. I was like a creative consultant doing mural work and it was cool and unexpected," shared Frucella.
Another unexpected turn of events for Heidi came when Gene Winfield announced he would be hosting workshops for aspiring builders and for seasoned kustom builders seeking his valuable insights. Heidi reflected on attending and befriending Winfield.
"I always wanted to attend his classes so I finally worked up the nerve and flew out in 2021. Gene was so kind and accessible and he was just a joy to be around. Not only that, he is so knowledgeable which is why I was surprised and rather honored when he said my work with plastics was something he didn't really see before. I've been out to see him a few times since and it's been known that in exchange for free help, he will sit with you and mentor, which I think is so valuable because he shows a genuine interest in what you do," said Frucella.
Heidi continues to laud kustom kulture for its versatility and inclusivity. Having always surrounded herself with art, she immediately noted how music intertwined within kustom kulture during her tenure as a musician and today, she affirms that creativity and engagement are keys to propelling the subculture forward and attracting future generations.
"It's always challenging to keep people engaged, especially younger people. It's like we built a generation to just use things and throw them away but I take the attitude of 'here, let me show you' but I still see so much thinking of unless its tech they just don't wanna touch anything. I attribute some of it to so many cuts in education where courses are no longer available like art or auto shop," sighed Heidi.
Heidi adamantly states being in motion, keep on moving and remain creative are some of her mantras.
Her major goal is to anchor herself within her next shop, dedicating every square foot to creativity but a recent on-site work accident has altered her senses a bit, but she remains unfettered.
"That was certainly a terrible experience but I'm back on my feet and even though some senses have changed, my creativity never left. I'm currently working a lot with light and holographic type designs. My goal of having a shop I live in and continuing to push myself has not changed. I see so many people that are scared to start because they don't know exactly how to begin but me? This is my life and spirit and I know I just have to stay moving," concluded Heidi.
instagram.com/thechookyhand
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