Stephen Heagan, Artist 

I have been painting, drawing and illustrating since

early childhood....

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 Inspired by a deep concern for preserving the planet's biodiversity and recognizing the soulful connections people enjoy with their pets, I find great satisfaction in conveying the importance of the natural world through my art.

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 From dogs and cats to horses and sheep - not to mention exotic birds and fish - animals have been an integral part of my life. 

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My first commercial job was designing a much photographed 30’x 30’ stained glass ceiling and two 6’ tall carriage lamps using antique Tiffany glass for the world-famous Maxwell's Plum restaurant in Manhattan. I also painted a 35’ wide canvas in the pointillist style for the restaurant, which drew its inspiration from a visit to Maxim's in Paris.

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After moving to the Bay Area in the 1970s, I owned an art gallery and started a successful artist cooperative in Berkeley; all while running a successful graphic arts business and creating several lines of furniture.  At the same time I received commissions for several large residential and commercial murals. For many years afterwards, designing and building custom projects became my main focus.    

 

In 2016, after a close friend's beloved pet passed away, I embarked on a new artistic path; creating highly personalized pet portraits via  commission. During the pandemic, my drawings of people and their pets were twice chosen by San Francisco's DeYoung Museum to illustrate themes of hope and resilience in their newsletters. 

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More recently, my interest has expanded to include wild and endangered species and my work has appeared in group shows throughout Sonoma County. 

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I studied architecture at Notre Dame and obtained my 

Fine Art degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

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