Creative Lucia Heffernan Gives Animals A Voice Through Her Paintings

Lucia Heffernan is a lifelong animal lover and she paints whimsical portraits of animals in all-too-human scenarios. A graphic designer by trade and an oil painter by design, she is continually experimenting with different styles of contemporary realism that balance her artistic sensibilities, technique, and unique sense of humor. As she evolves, what remains constant is her respect for the animals that inspire her, and her desire to bring a smile to the face of every viewer. Her dressed-up, anthropomorphized figures from across the animal kingdom often engage in leisure activities. She explains; “Through my paintings, I seek to give animals a voice and a personality, while making light of our uniquely human existence,” on her website. “By imagining what might do if put in human situations, I stage tableaus that shine a spotlight on both their innocence and raw instinct,” she adds. Especially for her yoga chick series, she makes this comment; “This collision between animal and human sensibilities creates a whimsical, theatrical, and often humorous world that viewers can relate to on an emotional level”. Lucia Heffernan has exhibited work in galleries and fairs in the U.S. and Hong Kong. Below you can see our most favourite illustrations by her. Enjoy!