Heidi Grace Acuña has made me fond of crocodiles. At her exhibition at ARTS at King Street Station, I could study the little ones alongside their larger companions, peer into mouths lined with uneven gold teeth, and circle their clay bodies with all the curiosity and delight that fear would ordinarily keep in check. The pleasure is in that unusual proximity—the freedom to study an animal I’d give plenty of space in the wild. Up close, every carefully formed detail reveals Acuña’s affection for these creatures. That affection fills the room with joy, inviting us to see the animals through her eyes while bringing our own associations to the encounter. She makes them approachable while preserving the dignity of the ancient animals she regards as ancestors and protectors.

For the Seattle interdisciplinary artist, who works as HGA, home extends beyond any one place. There is Federal Way, where she was born, O‘ahu, where she grew up, and the Philippines, where her parents’ lives began. There is also the home she has made in Seattle. Her art allows those attachments to exist together, giving her ways to explore belonging without having to settle on a single answer.

That openness carries into how she works. Acuña makes sculptures and one-of-a-kind clothing, and brings them into conversation through installations, fashion shows, and live performance. A University of Washington art graduate, she has also taught at organizations including Gage Academy and Bellevue Arts Museum. The objects she makes are personal, but she invites others to find their own connections within them. “I want people to understand that my work is a mirror to their identities, culture, and human experience,” she says.

Heidi Grace Acuña at the opening of her exhibition Buwaya Baby.

Photo courtesy of City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture / Marcus Donner

Buwaya Baby takes its name from the Tagalog word for crocodile and runs through November 7 at ARTS at King Street Station. Acuña will present a fashion-based performance within the exhibition on October 1 at 6 p.m. Both are free.

Name

Heidi Grace Acuña aka HGA

Hometown

ʻEwa Beach, O‘ahu, HI

Discipline

Interdisciplinary artist working in ceramics, fashion, and direction

Favorite Spot in Seattle

Mekong Village in Northgate

Describe your work in three words.

Expansive. Playful. Heartening.

DEEPER, 2026, glazed ceramic with gold luster and glass mirror.

Photo by Anthony Martinez

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?

I was always a creative person. I was drawing cartoon characters as a kid; I even took music, dance, and singing lessons. But growing up on O‘ahu, I didn’t know that a career as an artist was possible. After high school, I moved to Los Angeles to study sociology and quickly realized that’s not what I wanted to do. After some time back home and traveling with my family, I moved to Seattle, where I learned how to sew, and then enrolled at North Seattle College. The first ceramic sculpture I made there, Big Head, won the People’s Choice Award and was purchased by the school for its permanent collection. From then on, it was clear that I was meant to be an artist.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration everywhere, but especially from nature. I am in awe of nature. It is a mirror, a reminder of humans being perfectly imperfect and expansive. I am especially drawn to the flora and fauna of my childhood and ancestral homes.

Crocodile Foot, 2026, glazed ceramic with gold luster and found toothbrush.

Photo by Jo Cosme

What are you working on now?

Right now I’m working on my second interdisciplinary fashion-based show that takes place in my exhibit Buwaya Baby at ARTS at King Street Station. The exhibit is inspired by and in reverence to my buwaya (crocodile) ancestor. The one-night show on October 1 brings the exhibit to life through a custom sound score by IHA, contemporary choreography by Sade Aset, and fashion designs by me. I am working with a team of models, dancers, hair and makeup artists, and behind-the-scenes crew to bring my vision to life. This Buwaya Baby show celebrates the start of Filipino American History Month by bridging Filipino folklore, spirituality, heritage, and my own family’s migration history from the Philippines to the United States.

Altar/Nest, installed on a vintage table, features Buwaya Mama (2026), glazed ceramic with gold luster, and Buwaya Baby I (2026), glazed ceramic.

Photo by Jo Cosme

Tell us about your proudest moment as an artist?

I am proud to share my family’s history and heritage through my art, and that my family gets to witness this is so special to me. I am very proud and grateful to connect with so many people through my art. It is an honor to be able to bring hope, joy, and comfort through my art. I am proud that I get to work and play with so many amazing creatives. I am so grateful.

If you weren’t making art, what would you be doing?

I’ve tried not being an artist, and I’ve lost so much of myself without it. Making art is how I express and process so much. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

bulaklak para sayo (flowers for you), 2026, glazed ceramic with gold luster and found faux flowers.

Photo by Jo Cosme

What do you still hope to accomplish?

I hope to exhibit nationally and internationally so I can connect with more humans through my art. I hope to expand the storytelling for my Buwaya Baby and Living Waling Waling! interdisciplinary shows to include more creatives as well as more details in the sculptures and fashion designs. I hope that my art allows people, especially the next generations, to be fearless in expressing and embracing all that they are.