Art Peaks – Ryan Heshka’s ‘Voice of Love’

I’ve shared countless times before that I adore David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. It’s an emotionally moving powerhouse of a film, especially the ending. That’s probably why I was drawn to Ryan Heshka’s “Voice of Love” created for the film’s 20th Anniversary Group Exhibition at Copro Gallery in Santa Monica, California in April 2012.

TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME 20TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBIT AT COPRO GALLERY

From April 21-May 12, 2012, Copro Gallery in Santa Monica, California held a large group exhibition celebrating the 20th Anniversary of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Founded in 1992 by Joe Copro, Greg Escalante and Douglas Nason, the Gallery serves as “an entity to curate art exhibitions of emerging artists and publish the highest quality limited edition prints.” A dedicated page to the Twin Peaks-themed exhibition is still found on their website today along with a press release about the exhibition.

For this milestone anniversary, Copro contacted David Lynch about doing an exhibition featuring the “darker side of Twin Peaks which was explored in the movie Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.” David liked the idea and discussed it with the producer of the first show who brought on board as curator for this event.

This new exhibition will include all of the artists from a previous 20th Anniversary of Twin Peaks show, and expanded it to a gallery setting with an artist reception featuring unreleased music from the series and many surprise guests. I’ve previously highlighted other works from this show including SHAG’s “An Old Woman and Her Grandson,” Bob Balistreri’s “Bob on Formica,” Eric White’s “Let’s Rock,”, “The Peek” by Scott C. and “Laura, Twin Peaks” by Owen Smith.

RYAN HESHKA’S “VOICE OF LOVE”

Ryan Heshka created his work titled “Voice of Love” as an oil on wood panel that measured 24 x 30 inches. He painted it while playing “The Voice of Love” from the Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me soundtrack. Julee Cruise would later record a vocal version for her 1993 sophomore album, “The Voice of Love.”

I’ll never forget standing in the crying room at the North Bend Theatre with Sheryl Lee in August 2024 as those final moments flickered across the silver screen while Angelo Badalamenti’s music filled the air. Perhaps that is why I was drawn to Heshka’s work.

The one-of-a-kind piece was sold for $3,350 during the 20th Anniversary large group exhibition. I wish I had it in my collection as it’s a stunning piece of work.

Here is how it looked on opening night in April 2012. It was hung next to another incredible piece of Teresa Banks in the Deer Meadow Sheriff’s Department morgue.

Zooming in, you can see the stylized train car has the initials “VOL” which stand for “Voice of Love.”

A few weeks after David Lynch’s passing in January 2025, Ryan posted about this piece on his Instagram account. He also included a photo of a milkshake from Bob’s Big Boy in Los Angeles, a haunt once frequented by David.

The post included a close up shot of the angel floating high above the red train car.

“Those who know [Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me] will recognize the abandoned train car setting,” wrote Heshka. “I took some liberties, and incorporated the floating angel motif from Lynch’s Industrial Symphony (unless my memory fails me). It was the first time I attempted an oil painting for an art show, somehow I managed to get through it.”

Ryan remembers Julee Cruise’s entrance in Industrial Symphony No. 1 which had her floating high above the set.

I can’t but think of the beautiful angels at the end of Lynch’s 1992 masterpiece. This image from the film clearly inspired Heshka’s work, from the angel’s curly hair to the curvature of her wings. I can almost hear the crescendo from “The Voice of Love” when looking at this shot.

WHO IS RYAN HESHKA?

Born in Manitoba, Canada, Ryan Heshka grew up in Winnipeg. He spent his childhood drawing, making super 8 home movies and building cardboard cities. You have probably seen his work today which was influenced by pulp magazines and vintage comics. Heshka was trained in interior designed but it’s his self-taught illustrations that caught the attention of publications like Vanity Fair, Playboy, Wall Street Journal, Esquire, the New York Times. His work also has appeared on numerous book and album covers, and on the cover and interiors of BLAB!

Ryan was selected to appear in American Illustration, Society of Illustrators, and Communication Arts. In addition to gallery shows across North America and Europe, he has written and illustrated the “Mean Girls Club” comic book and graphic novel, and has self-published comic books, “Frog Wife” and “Pleasure Planet.” He currently resides in Vancouver, Canada with his wife Marinda and daughter Roxy.

Flaunt.com has a great profile from a gallery opening featuring his works.