“No to Hell”

Sometimes the most enduring ideas don’t arrive through careful planning they arrive through a moment of friction.

The “No to Hell” design began when artist David F. Heatwole overheard someone exclaim, “Oh, go to hell!” The phrase lingered not as an insult, but as a provocation. What if the response wasn’t anger or surrender, but refusal? What if the answer was simply: No.

That moment sparked the creation of a bold graphic mark that would grow into one of Heatwole’s most recognizable symbolic characters.

From Statement to Character

The original “No to Hell” design centered on a strong visual negation, clear, graphic, and unapologetic. Over time, that statement began to take on personality. The symbol evolved into a character: a small devil, exaggerated and expressive, sometimes trapped, sometimes defiant, sometimes in motion.

One of the most striking variations shows the character in flight, blowing flames, a visual metaphor that shifts the meaning from humor to warning.

Heatwole describes this devil as “the one that tries to burn up righteous dreams.” Not a figure of temptation, but a force of destruction symbolizing doubt, distraction, fear, and the internal voices that seek to derail creative purpose.

A Recurring Figure in Fine Art

What began as a graphic design quickly crossed into Heatwole’s fine art practice. The “No to Hell” devil and its variations now appear throughout his growing body of symbolic characters, each representing psychological, spiritual, or creative forces encountered along the path of making and becoming.

Like many of his characters, this devil is not meant to glorify darkness, but to name it to make visible the forces that artists, dreamers, and builders must confront if they are to move forward intact.

As Heatwole’s work continues to explore themes of resistance, perseverance, and transcendence, the character has become a favorite both for the artist and for collectors who recognize the struggle it represents.

Wearable Art, Collectible Symbols

Through This Artists Dream, the “No to Hell” character has been released in multiple forms:

• All-over print T-shirts with front and back designs

• Alternate character colorways including Blue, Black, and White

• Button designs that allow the symbol to be worn, shared, or displayed

Each iteration retains the core idea while offering a different tone, humorous, defiant, confrontational, or playful.

Saying No as a Creative Act

At its heart, “No to Hell” is not about rebellion for rebellion’s sake. It’s about discernment. About recognizing when something, an idea, a voice, a fear does not deserve your energy.

In Heatwole’s universe of symbols, saying no becomes an act of protection. A way of guarding dreams before they can be burned away.

The “No to Hell” design continues to evolve, just as the forces it represents continue to appear in new forms. What remains constant is the choice it presents—one made quietly, firmly, and without apology.

No.

Explore the full collection and variations at ThisArtistsDream.com, and discover how a single phrase became a lasting symbol of creative resistance.