We were lucky to catch up with Lucia Heffernan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lucia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

For as long as I can remember. I started drawing at a very young age, and hasn’t stopped. Art has been an integral part of my life, not just as a hobby, but as a means of expressing my innermost thoughts, emotions and perspectives. It allows me to communicate and connect with the world in a unique and profound manner.

Lucia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I graduated college with a BFA major and a design minor from University of Binghamton in NY. After graduation, I jumped right into the internet era and started designing and doing digital illustrations. I founded a successful design firm in NYC along with 3 other partners. It’s not until we sold the company and my husband and I moved to Utah that I started painting again. Because of my design background, I love to play – with narratives, imagery, humor using animals. I especially enjoy playing with reality by bending the rules and creating work that however implausible – at least for a moment- seems ALMOST possible. Work that only delights viewer, but ask them to consider their own reality.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My body of work aims to simultaneously make light of, and marvel at, our unique human existence. Through my art, I aim to leave a lasting impression on the world, sharing my unique perspective, and making it a more vibrant, empathetic, and compassionate place for all

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In the past, I used to paint everything true to life, from people to animals. As time went on, my focus shifted more towards animals, leading me to become a part of the esteemed Society of Animal Artists. It was an exciting and challenging journey since there were countless animal artists out there, making it difficult to establish my own unique style.

One day, as I was preparing for a local art show, I decided to inject stories into my paintings, starting with a whimsical portrayal of a little mouse engaged in human-like activities. The response to these mice paintings was a mix of reviews, but the positives outweighed the negatives, and to my delight, every single one of my mice paintings sold.

From that moment, my artistic path became clearer. I began creating more paintings featuring not only mice but also other animals, all playfully and imaginatively depicted engaging in human-like behaviors. It was an artistic niche that seemed to resonate with viewers, bringing a smile to their faces and a sense of connection with the animal subjects.

As time went on, my reputation grew, and I became known as the painter of “Animals Doing Human Things.” I found great joy in knowing that my artwork could evoke emotions and bring delight to those who viewed it. My paintings became a way to bridge the gap between humans and animals, reminding us all of the universality of certain experiences and emotions.

Today, I am grateful for the artistic journey that led me to this point. By fearlessly embracing my own style and injecting storytelling into my art, I was able to carve out a niche that was uniquely my own. The support and appreciation from art enthusiasts have been overwhelming, inspiring me to continue exploring the fascinating world of animals and their humorous and heartwarming connections to our own human experiences.

Contact Info:

• Website: luciaheffernan.com
• Instagram: @luciaheffernan
• Facebook: @LuciaHeffernanArtist