I believe that everyone is born an artist, and my mission is to spark joy and creativity in every person whose path I cross.

I love both the product and the process of creating art–I’m honored that my art speaks to people and hangs in homes and lives on the sides of buildings for thousands of people to take in and interpret. I take equal joy in all of the art that I make that no one ever sees: the process of making art, I believe, can be therapy, prayer, and meditation all at once. 

I can’t remember a time when I was not creating art.

My mother taught me that you should never buy someone a gift or a card if you can make it yourself, and I’ve made it my life’s work to do exactly that. Looking back, I can see that the hand-made cards of my childhood led to a career of heart-centered work; big and small. In my career as an artist, I’ve worked on custom campaigns with big-name brands like Versace, been featured regularly on the Oprah show, and have sold thousands of pieces through Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware.

And while I’m proud of the work that I’ve done, I’m serious when I tell you that the thing I’m most proud of is when kids stop me on the street when I’m painting a mural to tell me that they, too, want to be an artist some day--and then I hand them a brush and watch their faces light up as they get the courage to create with me.

I landed high-paying partnerships while I was at the Art Institute for fashion illustration, but recognized quickly that my best work is inspired by the presence of others. I pivoted to creating large-format murals which allowed me to interact with those passing by, and spent the next 10 years running a mural company and eventually, my own gallery.

When my children were born, I wanted to spend more time at home with them and began painting commissions on canvas in my studio and selling original work.

Now, my children are older and I have only one rule for the kind of work that I do: it must bring me joy. 

These days, you’ll find me painting lots of hearts. I love painting hearts, and I always have; but for years, my ego told me that I needed to prove to everyone–and especially myself–that I was a serious artist, and that hearts weren’t “enough.”

I realized, recently, that hearts are exactly what I need to be painting, because they’re not really about me and my ego after all. They’re about each person’s own interpretation of the heart and what they need to hear in that moment. They’re about joy and connection and finding beauty in the messy moments, because if I am certain of one thing, it’s that we must find joy in the journey. 

Thank you for being here with me. 

xo Heather