Michael Heffernan is a fulltime visual artist working from his studio at the Artisan Resource Center, based in Atlanta, Georgia. As a contemporary painter, his painting style is between spontaneous expression and control; between emotion and passion for freedom and immediacy in the application, while striving for balance in the nature of the subject. His work explores that space between extemporaneous, instinctive mark-making, and deliberate brushstrokes that translate into an energetic and interesting visual narrative, identifiable throughout his series of landscape and abstract paintings.

He has a keen interest in abstract landscape painting in an expressive style to capture the essence, atmosphere, and indeed emotion of a place often influenced by dramatic weather. His source of ideas is derived from a combination of painting, sketching, and photography on location, completing work in his studio. His abstract works are influenced by many subjects including poetry and intuitive emotions and concepts.