Heather Shirin is a mixed media painter from Asheville, NC.

Heather Shirin creates Art Nouveau inspired portraits of women on birch panels using mixed media. Her work has a wonderful vintage feel, incorporating gold leaf, metallic paint and fine art papers, making these mixed media pieces simply stunning.

Described by onlookers as "luminous, intimate, and emotive", Heather Shirin’s mixed media portraits are reminiscent of Gustav Klimt and Alphonse Mucha. “As if those two were to collaborate,” Heather adds. In Italian, “dolce far niente” means “pleasant idleness” and these female portraits emit contagiously calm vibes writes The Laurel of Asheville.

The two new series "Playing Love" and "Dolce Far Niente" are being developed over 2012-2013. The 'Playing Love' series focuses on capturing the beauty of Art Nouveau, and the 'Dolce Far Niente', on the 'Art of doing nothing'...simply relaxing and being still.

Heather Shirin uses fine art papers, various metal leaf, metallic paint and other mixed media to create beautiful layers for the hair, clothing and design elements within the backgrounds. Her work can be seen at Gallery Asheville downtown Asheville (8 Biltmore Ave) and the 310 Art Gallery (191 Lyman Street, Studios #310) in the River Arts District.

Please contact Heather for more information or to visit her studio in Mills River, NC.

"Under the Silent Sea" 60" x 30" Mixed Media"We are all made from Stardust" 60 x 30" Mixed Media