b'The Artists Work Is An Expressionand Exploration Of Her LifelongFascination With Animals. G rowing up in Taiwan, Lucia lived near a farm, where she What do you love most about your studio? I like that it isdeveloped her love and respect for animals. Her inspira- myownspaceinwhichtocreate.Everythingisverytion and love for art came from her mother, who was an organized so that I can grab anything I want. My studio is inartist. After graduating from Binghamton University in New a building with a lot of other professional artists, so I have theYork with double majors in graphic design and Fine Art, camaraderie and were able to help each other out.Lucia worked for several New York City advertising agenciesand design firms. She became an entrepreneur, opening upToday, I am inspiredher own award-winning design firm. In 2000, Lucia moved by the finish line.to Utah and soon dove back into painting. It started out just for fun, said Lucia. Then, over the past 15 years its really Lucia HeffernanLucia created a series of Yoga Chick Bathtime Mission Impossiblepaintings. Each yellow bird in the seriesis in a different yoga pose.grown into a full time passion as well as my business. What items are always on your desk? My coffee and myShe strives to give the animals in her paintings a voice sketch pad.and personality, while making light of human situations. Istage tableaus that shine a spotlight on both their innocence What is your day like? As soon as I get up, I read andand raw instinct, said Lucia. This collision between animal answer all of my emails and DMs. Ill make my smoothie,and human sensibilities creates a whimsical, theatrical, and go to the gym or play with Harley. Then I go to my studiooften humorous world that viewers can relate to on an emo- around eleven in the morning and work late into the night.tionallevel.Theanimalsinherpaintingsare Im constantly under deadlines with my galleries to finishintricatelyrealisticwhilebeingengagedunrealisticallyin enough paintings for a variety of exhibitions. So, Im alwayshuman activitiesfrom the mundane to the monumental.incommunicationwithseveralgalleries,mylicensingHarley is Lucias three-year-old French Bulldog. She is agents, collectors, and customers. Every day I spend a fewverymuchastapleatthestudioandisinalotofmy hours on the business side in addition to all the hours thatpaintings. If she thinks she is not going to the studio with Im painting. me, she lets me know how upset she is by shoving me. As aconsequence, she is in the studio with me almost every day. Whatareyourfavoritecolors?ThatissuchahardWe posed some questions to Lucia to learn more about question to answer. To paint with or to wear? I love playingthe artist and her work from a perspective that is out from with color, so Id have to say the three primary colors: red,behind her easel. blue and yellow.44 THE NEW BARKER'