Heather Theurer: Mormon Artist
Heather Theurer knew when she was a little girl of age four or five that she wanted to be a famous artist. Her arrival to that point was not through the steps of art classes or a degree in fine art. Instead, Theurer studied the natural world, absorbed the atmosphere and work of a small farm in Paradise, Utah, and explored the works of Renaissance, pre-Raphaelite, and modern masters. She observed people, environments, animals, and textiles.
Theurer was exhibiting some of her work at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2010 when a Disney employee approached her and asked if she would consider creating portraits of Disney characters. She joined Disney Fine Art and her official portraits of Disney princesses have drawn attention and appreciation. Some of that attention has come through USA Today, the LA Times, Art Renewal Center, Artist’s Magazine, and Spectrum.
Theurer has built a studio in Las Vegas, Nevada, around a busy life with five children. In addition to her work for Disney Fine Art, she paints religious symbolism, fantasy realism, wildlife, and equine using numerous layers of paint and glaze to achieve detail and depth.
She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She said, “More than any of the things that inspire me and my artwork is the one truth that I think has always been with me, even through the dark times of self-doubt and in my early years of discouraging artistic wandering. And that is that I know that my Heavenly Father gave me something special.”[1]
