Betsy Heffron  Painter

Studied :
Phoenix Community College, Phx, Az                   1983-1985
Art Students League, New York, NY                   1987-92
Escola Masana, Barcelona Spain Summer                1993
National Academy Find Arts, NY, NY                 1996-2000

I am drawn towards objects: chairs, windows, doors, boots, ballet slippers, lemons, common objects that surround us.  I explored the deeper
meaning behind them.  I also love landscapes,  pushing paint and using colour as a medium.  It is a glimpse into the experience of my life as a painter
and my relationship with the world. Searching and exploring the structure of objects either man-made or from nature.  I am an observer of life and
am constantly seeking out the compositions that surround me; investigating their forms and how they relate to each other through the use of colour to
discover and express their relationships. I was born in Michigan and the cool blue winters and  lush green summers still influence me.  While in High
School I had a painting instructor who encourage me pursuing painting as my major in college. After finishing high school I moved out west to
Arizona and began  my studies at Phoenix Community College.  At that time my focus was drawing and design.

After a few years in Arizona I decided to move to New York City to studying in the Atelier schools;  first at the Art Students League under the
instruction of Michael Burbain and Leatrice Rose; eventually finding Peter Homitsky, a well know landscape and colourist who I studied with for
many years.  Painting became my focus and passion.  I concluded my studies at the National Academy of Design School of Fine Arts; under the
instruction of Sam Adoquei with the focus being  the figure and portraiture.

I like to work from life as well as my own imagination.  Sometimes beginning with sketches using oil sticks or water colours.....India ink, charcoal or
pen.  Eventually moving those images to the canvass to explore my own individual concepts and their transformation into the visual language of
painting.  Among the artist that most influence me are Matisse, Cezanne, Bonnard, VanGogh,  Manet, Sorolla, Mark Rothko, Hans Hofmann,
Richard Deibenkorn, Wayne Theiboud and Euan Uglow, to name a few~

Current work and direction:

I have recently moved back to New York after living and painting in the southwest.  It was a wonderful experience and has given me a greater
insight into colour, which at heart  I am a colourist that is what moves me.

Exhibitions:
Practical Art                                   Phoenix, AZ
ICON Studio                                 Phoenix, AZ
Open Studio Space                        Phoenix, AZ
Mama-Java Coffee Shop                Phoenix, AZ
One Reunionese Square,                 Corporate Lobby, AZ
Burson-Marsteller                           Corporate Gallery NY, NY
Studio 807                                      Union Square, NY NY
The Art Students League                 New York, NY
Escola Masana                                Barcelona Spain
National Academy                           New York, NY
Mystic Art Association                    Mystic CT


Designs ~   Two of her paintings have been
used on the CD cover for GuarX2's buy
Pasquale Bianculli and Harris Berker.

Pasqual Bianculli
Commission for the Krells
Oils 42 x 60
Close up for Krells