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(American, b. 1966)
My body of work is an expression and exploration of my lifelong fascination with animals. Through my paintings, I seek to give animals a voice and a personality, while making light of our uniquely human existence. By imagining what animals might do if put in human situations, I stage tableaus that shine a spotlight on both their innocence and raw instinct. This collision between animal and human sensibilities creates a whimsical, theatrical, and often humorous world that viewers can relate to on an emotional level.
A graphic designer by trade and an oil painter by design, I am continually experimenting with different styles of contemporary realism that balance my artistic sensibilities, technique, and unique sense of humor. As I evolve, what remains constant is my respect for the animals that inspire me, and my desire to bring a smile to the face of every viewer.
EDUCATION
Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY BFA 1985-1989
RECENT EXHIBITIONS (PAST 3 YEARS)
2025
Dec - CODA Gallery – Solo Show - “The Furry Side” – Palm Desert, CA
July - Seattle Art Fair, with Rehs Gallery, Seattle, WA
May - Art Busan 2025, with Gallery Unplugged, Busan, South Korea
Mar - CNS - “Art & Soup” – Sandy, UT
Feb - The Palm Beach Show, with Rehs Gallery, Palm Beach, FL
Jan - Springville Museum of Art, Art Renewal Center: Featured Artist 2025, Springville, UT
2024
Dec - CODA Gallery – Solo Show - “Urban Animals” – Palm Desert, CA
Nov - Modern Eden Gallery – “Paracosmic Escape” group show curated by Beautiful Bizarre, San Francisco, CA
Nov - Zions Bank - "Zions Bank Invitational" - Salt Lake City, UT
Aug - The Nantucket Show – Nantucket, MA
Jul - The Newport Show – Middletown, RI
Jul - Hampton Fine Art Fair – Southampton, NY
Apr - The Philadelphia Show, with Rehs Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Mar - CNS - “Art & Soup” – Sandy, UT
Mar - Group Show, Rich Art Gallery, Taichung City, Taiwan
Feb - The Palm Beach Art Show, Palm Beach, FL
Jan - Art Palm Beach, Palm Beach, FL
2023
Dec - Miami Art Week – Miami, FL
Dec - Coda Gallery – “Solo Show” – Palm Desert, CA
Sept - Copro Gallery – “10th Annual BLAB Show – group show” – Los Angeles, CA
Jul - Salt Lake City Country Club - “The Art of Golf” - Salt Lake City, UT
Jun - Abend Gallery - “Wild at Art” – 4 Person Exhibit - Denver, CO
Mar - Corey Helford Gallery - “Secret Longing Group show” curated by Beautiful Bizarre
– Los Angeles, CA
Mar - CNS - “Art & Soup” – Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, UT
Feb - LA Art Show – LA Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
Feb - Palm Beach Art Show - Palm Beach Convention Center, Palm Beach, FL
Jan - Coda Gallery - "Solo Show" -Palm Desert, CA
2022
Nov - Zions Bank - "Zions Bank Invitational" - Salt Lake City, UT
Oct - Baltimore Art and Antique Show - Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD
Sept - Musei San Salvatore Lauro – “Solo Show” - Rome, Italy
Mar - Rehs Contemporary - “Beneath the Surface” - New York City, NY
Mar - CNS - “Art & Soup” – Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, UT
Jan - LA Art Show – LA Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
2021
Dec - Coda Gallery – “Solo Show” – Palm Desert, CA
Dec - Abend Gallery – “Miniatures” Group Show – Denver, CO
Oct - Haven Gallery – “Animalia” curated by Beautiful Bizarre Magazine – Northport, NY
Sep - Copro Gallery – “16th Annual BLAB! Show” - Santa Monica, CA
Aug - LA Art Show – LA Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA
Aug - Nantucket Summer Show – Nantucket, MA
Jun - Rehs Contemporary Gallery - "Spirit Animals Solo Show" - New York, NY
Jun - Kirk Gallery – “Dreambags and Jaguar Shoes” – Denmark
Jan - Abend Gallery - "Online Solo Show" - Denver, CO
Jan - Coda Gallery - "Solo Show" -Palm Desert, CA
PUBLICATIONS
2025
Mar - 17th International ARC Salon Special Section – Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, March / April Edition
Mar - Humorous Animal Paintings By Lucia Heffernan (30 Pics), Bored Panda, March 11, 2025
2024
Oct - Lucia Heffernan – Salt Lake Sideways
July - Community Highlights: Meet Lucia Heffernan of Lucia Hefferan Fine Arts – Voyage Utah
Apr - Pictorial” – Children’s Science Donga 20th Anniversary Edition – South Korea
2023
Nov - "We Love Animals" – Editorial, Elle Magazine– SouthKorea
Oct - Gym Rats – @ElleTaiwan & @ElleBeauty.tw
Sep - Gym Rats – @WomensHealth_TW
Aug - "Meet Lucia Heffernan" – Canvas Rebel
Jun - Wild at Arts – American Art Collector
May - "Meet Lucia Heffernan" – Happy Homes and Garden Radio Talk Show hosted by Daphne Royse
Apr - "Meet Lucia Heffernan" – ARV | Art Rendez - Vous
Jan - "Adorable Animals Acting Absurdly" – Editorial, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, Issue 40
2022
Oct - “Lucia Heffernan’s Open Studio” by Rome Art Week
Sept - “Lucia Heffernan Exhibiting at First European Gallery Show in Rome – Business Wire
Sept - “Lucia Heffernan Vacanze Romane” – Licensing International
Sept - “Lucia Heffernan- Vacanze romane” – Artribune
Sept - “Lucia Heffernan’s Works are Striking” – Globe Banner
Sept - “Lucia Heffernan Embraces Rome with First European Exhibition” – Total Licensing
Sept - “Lucia Heffernan” – Editorial – Bixbipet Purr Magazine – Issue No. 1
Jul - Can you imagine How it Looks like when a Chick doing Yoga” – Amestri
Mar - Lucia Heffernan – Happy Magazine , Germany
Jun - Cover Photo – Editorial, The New Barker
Mar - "Artist Paints Adorable Fluffy Chicks Doing Yoga" – UpWorthy
Mar - "Pulcini-ritratti-in-posizioni-yoga-lucia-heffernan " – WoNews.it
Feb - "Fluffy Chicks Practice Yoga Poses in Realistic Oil Paintings" – My Modern Met
Feb - “Chicks Appear to Attempt Various Yoga Positions” – The Sun
Feb - “Adorable & Flexible Chick in Perfect Yoga Poses by Lucia Heffernan”– 121 Clicks
Jan - "Yoga Chick Tarot and Art Forecast" – The Fox and the Tarot
Jan - "The Humorous World of Artist Lucia Heffernan" – Knotty Toys for Good Dogs
2021
Dec - Yoga Chicks" – Die Zeit Newspaper – Germany
Dec - "Absurdly Flexible Chicks Lunge, Twist, and Stretch into Perfect Yoga Poses" Colossal
Jul - "LA Art Show Returns" – American Art Collector
May - “Anthropomorphized Animals” – Forbes
May - “What’s Your Spirit Animal?” – PR Newswire
Mar - "Strong Viewpoints – Women Artists" – Lucia Heffernan
Jan - "Where the Art Makes You Smile" - Palm Springs Life Magazine
AWARDS
2025
ARC Salon - “The Paint Job” – Springville Museum of Art Exhibition Award, and Dual Category Award ARC Salon - “Love Potion No. 9” – Semi-Finalist
2024
Richeson 75 - Animals, Birds & Wildlife - "Oasis" – Finalist & Honorable Mention
2023
Richeson 75 - Animals, Birds & Wildlife - "The Paint Job" - Finalist
2020
ARC Salon - "UnCommon Cowboy" - Finalist
Richeson 75 - Animals, Birds & Wildlife - "UnCommon Cowboy" - First Place
2019
ARC Salon - "Apple Music" - Rehs Contemporary Gallery Award
ARC Salon - "Washington Gothic" - Haynes Galleries Award
ARC Salon - "El Toro" - Finalist
Richeson 75 - Animals, Birds & Wildlife - "Sealrio" - Honor Award
2018
ARC Salon - "Gladiator" - Finalist