Heather Johnson Beary
Heather Johnson Beary is an award-winning sculptor whose work captures the raw spirit of the American Southwest. Raised exploring Florida's cypress swamp and palmetto forests she found a sense of wonder and peace in the natural world. She discovered her artistic voice at an early age—selling her first drawing at thirteen. After earning her BA from the University of Toledo while specializing in bronze sculpture and anatomical drawing,
Concurrently, and in the tradition of great masters, she enrolled in pre-medical classes and studied human dissections at the Medical College of Ohio to increase her understanding of the human form.
After graduating, Heather relocated to Prescott, Arizona where she worked for five years at a local bronze foundry. Her foundry experience provided her the opportunity of intimately knowing all aspects of the bronze art field. Prescott is also where the region's rugged landscape, indigenous heritage, pioneer spirit and untamed beauty became the driving force behind her monumental bronze sculptures.
Her commissions span prestigious institutions: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the Salvation Army, the City of Prescott, the U.S. Federal Government, and the Prime Minister of Bahrain. Her latest work; a seven-foot bronze portrait of Sharlot Hall now stands in the courtyard of the Downtown Prescott Sharlot Hall Museum. Her sculptures also inhabit Zion and Escalante National Monuments, and her work resides in private and public collections across the United States, Canada, Australia, England, France, Scotland, Bahrain, Singapore, Jakarta, and the British Virgin Islands—a reflection of her profound appeal to those inspired by the rugged freedom and abundant nature this wild country still provides.