Andrea G. Heffner
Let’s make everyday life beautiful! Andrea writes stories and creates cheerful artwork using watercolor, ink, pencil, and gouache. She began painting as a child, with her mom providing her with her earliest art instruction and encouragement. As an elementary teacher, Andrea received many accolades for her sketches from her students, who inspired her to pursue her childhood dream of becoming an author-illustrator.
When she’s not writing or creating art, Andrea loves spending time with her husband, daughter, and their dog. Many of her adventures in the outdoors, baking in the kitchen, or trips to the beach inspire her work.
Andrea holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia and a Masters of Arts in Education from The College of William and Mary. Andrea is a member of the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
Artist Statement
I use gouache, watercolor, and ink to create bright, cheerful artwork centered on nature, wildlife, and storytelling. Through a balance of line, color, and composition, my work aims to capture the organic essence of a subject and convey a positive energy to the viewer.
I began painting as a child, with my mom providing me with my earliest art instruction and encouragement. If you were to peek into my childhood, you would have found me sitting on my bed with a lined spiral notebook propped up against my legs, a pencil in hand, telling stories aloud to myself as I drew page after page in notebook after notebook.
That sense of storytelling and connection continues to shape my work today. I still love getting into the flow of a piece and using it to create artwork that invites a personal connection to nature, to a story, and to something greater than ourselves.