Vija Celmins' early career is marked by her meticulous still life paintings, created during her time as a graduate student at UCLA in the early 1960s. These works, characterized by their exacting detail and neutral backgrounds, set the foundation for her distinctive style that emphasizes observation and precision over expressive brushwork and color.

Celmins' still life series includes depictions of everyday objects found in her studio, such as heaters, lamps, and fans. These objects were chosen for their utilitarian nature and were rendered with a high degree of realism. By focusing on mundane, often overlooked items, Celmins removed any narrative or emotional content, instead presenting the objects in a straightforward, almost clinical manner. This approach allowed her to concentrate on the physical properties of the objects and the play of light and shadow on their surfaces (Wikipedia) (The Metropolitan Museum of Art).

One notable work from this period is "Heater" (1964), which exemplifies her focus on "things that light up." The painting presents the heater against a plain backdrop, emphasizing its form and function without any added context or sentimentality. This work, along with others from the same series, demonstrates her commitment to exploring the materiality of her subjects and her interest in capturing the subtle nuances of light and texture (Wikipedia) (Hill Art Foundation).

These early still lifes also reflect Celmins' broader thematic interests in perception and the act of seeing. By presenting these ordinary objects with such clarity and detail, she encourages viewers to look more closely and appreciate the complexity of the seemingly simple. This focus on detailed observation would continue to be a hallmark of her work as she moved on to more expansive subjects like ocean waves and starry skies later in her career (Wikipedia) (Artnet News).

Vija Celmins' early still life paintings are significant for their technical precision and conceptual depth. They mark the beginning of her lifelong exploration of how we perceive and represent the world around us, setting the stage for her later, more well-known works. These early pieces are an essential part of understanding her development as an artist and her ongoing fascination with the intricacies of the visual world (Wikipedia) (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) (Hill Art Foundation).