Lucia Heffernan
Address: 160 East 800 South
Telephone: 801-363-0600
Website: brushworksgallery.com
District: Central City
“I’ve always felt that art should tell a story,” says Lucia Heffernan, reflecting on her journey as we sat in her Salt Lake City studio. Born in Taiwan and inspired by her mother, a watercolor artist, Lucia’s passion for drawing began at an early age. After her mom passed away when Lucia was only thirteen, her family moved to the United States, settling in upstate New York. Despite the challenges of adapting to a new language and culture, Lucia’s love for art remained a constant in her life.
“I always had the dictionary in my hand. Remember, there was no Internet,” Lucia recalls. She struggled in class as her teachers expected her to be able to read twenty pages a night. That proved difficult when she had to spend time translating every single word. “I was having a lot of problems, but over the years, I built a pretty good art portfolio and was able to get into a lot of colleges.” Lucia pursued her passion academically, earning a degree in Fine Arts with a minor in Design from Binghamton University.
After graduation, Lucia explored job opportunities and eventually settled in Boston, where her sister was in medical school. She was hired as a graphic designer at the large accounting firm, Coopers and Lybrand, and worked there for years in their design department. “I had a winter house in Killington and a summer house in Newport, RI. I was living the single life. It was really fun.” It was in Killington, however, where she met her husband, Ron, who was living in New York. She eventually moved there, continuing to work for Coopers. This is where she met Monica, who was also working in the design department. “It was Ron who said you guys should start your own company,” she recalls. And they did.
In the beginning, Monica and Lucia worked for Coopers during the day, and then on their own projects at night. It did not take long for them to be recognized, first doing CD covers. When the Internet took off, however, they switched gears and jumped right into that design era. “I found it fascinating. I learned how to design and then I wanted to code it into websites, so I started learning coding. I pretty much took on digital design, while Monica worked on the print area.”
Eventually, the two got so busy that they decided to leave Coopers and opened Lead Dog Design. Their business boomed, growing to over 100 people, and even expanding to an office in Santa Monica to pursue Hollywood clients. In the early 2000s, after facing a bidding war from companies wanting to purchase them, Lucia and Ron decided to retire, having made more than enough money from the sale. They moved to Utah and became ski bums, and in 2004, their twins were born. After a few years of parenting, Lucia felt a pull back to the world of painting. “Gradually from there, I just kept painting, and Ron got bored too, so he became an investment banker, and he’s been doing that ever since. And that’s where we are today.”
When Lucia first returned to painting, she began to explore the idea of anthropomorphism - depicting animals with human characteristics. This exploration led to the development of her unique artistic style, where animals are placed in whimsical, often humorous, human-like scenarios. “I wanted to create something that people could not only enjoy but also relate to on a deeper level.” Her work blends contemporary realism with a playful imagination, resulting in pieces that are both captivating and thought-provoking. Lucia started with chicks. “I would buy these little baby chicks from farm stands like IFA, a big farm store here in Utah. Around Easter time, they always sell these little baby chicks and ducklings. So, I started buying them, taking lots of pictures, and imagining what I could do with these guys.” She soon expanded her focus to include mice, which she found curious and full of energy. “They don’t sit still, and they like to explore everything, so I started imagining them with little chairs, toy planes, and other props, and they would just be very interested.”
This approach extended to dogs, rabbits, and even animals she encountered in barns around Utah, where she would photograph pigs, horses, and other creatures to use as models. Lucia’s art is characterized by meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of her subjects. Each painting is a theatrical performance, where animals take center stage in scenes that evoke both laughter and introspection. Whether it is a dog dressed as a firefighter or chicks doing yoga, Lucia’s work invites viewers to see the world from a different perspective.
In 2016, her hobby became a serious business as she was convinced to license her art. Today, Lucia has gained international recognition, leading to collaborations and licensing agreements that have brought her work into homes across the globe. Her pieces have been featured on everything from greeting cards to puzzles, allowing her art to reach a wide audience. Her work is a celebration of the animal kingdom’s innocence, curiosity, and instinct, all while offering a mirror to our own human experiences. “I think what makes my art special is that it’s not just about the animals - it’s about the stories we share.”
In recent years, Lucia has expanded her reach, exhibiting her work internationally, including shows in Taiwan, South Korea, and Italy. Her paintings continue to sell quickly, often before they are even framed, and she has become a favorite among collectors who appreciate her distinctive style. Today, Lucia continues to paint daily in her Utah studio, where she loves to push the boundaries of her creativity. “Every painting I create is a story, and I hope that story brings joy to those who see it.”
