Heather Leigh Schaefer of ArtsyTooCreations.com is a well-known local South Florida artist. Her original artwork appears on every imaginable canvas including hats, t-shirts, laser-engraved earrings and coasters, toddler wear, coffee mugs and tumblers, tote bags, and even iPad carry cases. She also designed one of the logos for the South Florida Spearfishing Club as well as a number of other local businesses.
Heather showed a variety of her work at this year’s Blue Wild Ocean Adventure Expo in Fort Lauderdale. As she has in the past, she donated a nice sampling of items to the Blue Wild Charity Raffle that supports Twin Palms Center for the Disabled in Boca Raton, St. Jude’s, and Wounded Warriors. She’s also a regular donor to the Everglades Angels Dog Rescue Raffle.
Heather earned her undergraduate degree in Art Education and a Master’s in Math Education. She took some art classes as a youngster and in high school, and “has always been creative.” Outside of her artistic pursuits, she teaches math in a local public high school. Heather has also been an Adjunct Math Professor at Broward College since 2003.
When asked what inspires her work, she simply replied, “Scuba diving . . . and math.”
Her subject matter frequently revolves around marine life and nautical themes, but she also incorporates geometry and even the complexities of Fibonacci spirals into her work. Fun, vibrant subjects and colors are often deployed.
Whether it’s the distinctive curves of the Great Hammerhead’s silhouette or the complexities of her optical illusions series, Heather’s artwork seems to resonate with the ocean and diving communities.
In a market that often appears to be satisfied with simply ripping off the competition, Heather’s mathematics background and her diving experience appear to give her a familiarity with marine life and other subjects that is often missed or oversimplified. In addition to printing and detailed embroidery on t-shirts and the like, her works are also available as signed and numbered prints.
Her original works may be purchased online at her website as well as at a variety of fine art galleries and dive shops including Art on a Whim in Islamorada, FL; Gumbo Limbo in Boca Raton; Sandpiper Cove and Resort in West Palm Beach; Gold Coast Scuba in Lauderdale by the Sea; Boynton Beach Dive Center; and Force-E Scuba Centers in South Florida; and Omani Heritage Gallery in Oman. You can also find her on Facebook.
