Brett Heidi of Olds, Alberta, Canada is a contemporary painter of North American wildlife & western themes.

Coming from a family immersed in art, she had early exposure to painting, sketching and the study of colour and light.  As a youth she participated in local and international art contests, eventually taking on custom people and pet portraits as well as book illustrations.

Growing up in a quaint farming community, Brett developed respect for animals, appreciation for a simple life, and an awe for nature’s unchanging beauty.  She and her husband continue to soak in the vistas that Alberta is abundant in.  The incredible view of the Rocky Mountains that are preceded by farm fields and rolling foothills, the charm of their neighboring city Calgary with the unique skyline back dropped by the Rockies and hosts the winding Bow River and just an hour west is a mountainous oasis, Banff National Park where she finds inspiration for her forest animal pieces and mountain scenes. Having had the opportunity to live in Mexico for 6 years and absorb some it’s culture and colour has also influenced her artistic perspective.

Since 2014, Brett has developed an individual style that has been by identified by large loose brushstrokes and the use of under-mixed luminous colour.   

“My current technique evolved when I attempted my first large scale acrylic painting.  Something I had loved about watercolor was the freedom of pure juicy color spreading across a simple white textured paper, planned but uninhibited.  There is a sense of simplicity yet a vivid brilliance to it.   The techniques I learned in oil also influence how I paint in acrylic.  I am fascinated by how the perception of color is affected or even created by light, therefore driving my choice of pigment.”  

She approaches a painting with more in mind than just “to paint a subject”, but to discover the story in a subject or the feeling of an occasion and convey it visually.

“From the beginning stages of planning and composition to the very last touch of paint, I have a story in my mind for each piece. This will dictate how much I might focus on such things as an animal’s eyes or some other feature, amount of detail, movement, mood, or colour intensity.  Although I have my own story behind a piece, I hope that each viewer may be evoked to have their own story or recall a treasured memory.”