Lucia Heffernan

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.

Through my oil paintings, I morph everyday human experiences into an alternate universe where an animal is just as likely as a person to sit down to some light reading, brush their teeth before bed, or profess their undying love for another through some grand gesture. My body of work aims to simultaneously make light of, and marvel at, our uniquely human existence.

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.