From the cozy confines of her sunroom in Bethany Beach, artist Maggie Heffernan is immortalizing the shore's beauty on canvas
Written by Alison Pappas | Photography by Pamela Aquilani
The focal points of Bethany Beach-based artist Maggie Heffernan’s portfolio are nature-based subjects and settings that she knows very well. As a nearly lifelong Coastal Delaware local— apart from post-grad periods she spent in New York City and Nashville — Maggie has long maintained an admiration for Delmarva’s pristine natural beauty. She transforms this appreciation into stunning artwork that showcases the surrounding coastal landscapes, as well as the plants, birds and other unique wildlife that consider the Shore to be their home.
“I’m really focused on native plants and the local ecosystem, and I try to bring awareness to the fact that our area is changing so quickly,” Maggie shared.
She finds inspiration for her next pieces when exploring local trails or just driving down the nearby highways. While Maggie experiments with all media, oil-based paintings are what she most frequently pursues.
“I often like to start with a really bright undertone to my painting, because after I finish the piece, it feels like whatever I just painted is glowing, and it brings everything to life,” she expressed.
Maggie often shares her creative processes through videos on her Instagram account, @mags_heff.
In addition to producing her own designs, she also accepts commission requests.
“I do a lot of house portraits around the holidays. I also do many small water color commissions. I can pretty much do any artistic style, so people often come to me with their ideas.”
GO WITH THE FLOW Maggie uses mostly oil paint to create her fluid yet transparent scapes.
Maggie creates her work within the cozy sunroom of her Bethany Beach apartment. Although the sunroom is only10’x14’, she has made it functional as a studio and given it a homey feel through the addition of a miniature green house and some decorations curated from local beaches. Notably, the space offers ample sunlight.
“I can’t see the colors as well with artificial lighting, so painting in this room with all the sunlight is really beneficial for my art,” she shared.
SEEING THE LIGHT Among those venues that have Maggie Heffernan’s work on display is The Brush Factory on Kings in Lewes.
Maggie also works as a freelance landscape designer. Her background in this field includes working as a landscape architect for a large commercial firm.
“I find that a lot of my art feeds off of my work in landscape design,” she said.
Maggie’s artwork is available for purchase under the branding “Mags Heff Art” on her website, Mags-Heff-Art.com. The Brush Factory on Kings in Lewes features a wall of her smaller original paintings and prints. You can also purchase her larger paintings at Hunt & Lane in Rehoboth Beach, and cool sticker and magnet versions of her artwork are available at Prickly Gal Boutique in Millville. CS