“The sense of being a spec in this amazing world smacks hardest when I’m painting out in nature.  Then I breathe as if I’ve never breathed before.  Carried from bubbles to boulders and back again through storms and volcanoes the natural world is the poetry of God.”

 

“Once palette knife is in hand it’s like riding a wild stallion as the scenery races to change.  All the principles of art are held in ‘the reins’.  Eventually, I ‘fall off’ from fatigue and sometimes get ‘kicked off’ by strong winds or rain.   If painting plein air for me is like a wild ride, then painting in the studio is like coaxing that stallion up a steep trail.  The view is in my head not in front of me and every step is critical. Reaching the summit is sharing it with you.”

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Heather started painting plein air in 2019 after moving to San Diego from Maryland.  She has worked as a muralist, art teacher, and scientific illustrator for the Smithsonian Institution.  She earned her Bachelors in Fine Arts from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).

 

She lives in San Diego with her “sherpa” husband Dave, and faithful Aussie, Cali Bear.