Connecting with my cultural heritage as a Louisiana native, my paintings are a fusion of the elaborate costumes of Mardi Gras, the bayou, and the magic that resonates from southeastern Louisiana. My mother grew up in the bayou as a daughter of a fur trapper and alligator hunter. Most Cajuns are skilled tradesman that carry on the family business for generations so I grew up around alligator farmers and hunters.
As beautiful as the bayou is with the flora and fauna, it was also terrifying not only from the alligators, alligator gar, and poisonous snakes, but also from the Cajun folklore that I grew up around – the stories of the fue follet, rougarou, and other unexplained phenomena.
Creating these paintings allow me to relate to more fundamental origins of my Cajun culture and the mystical bayou.
-Heidi Elbers, 2023
Heidi Elbers (b. New Orleans, LA) earned her BA from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2008, and in 2010 she earned her MFA from the New York Academy of Art. Elbers has shown her work nationally at places such as Bernarducci Meisel Gallery, Sotheby's, Flowers Gallery, NY, The Lodge Gallery, Island Weiss Gallery, Storefront Ten Eyck, and Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery. She has been featured in publications including Gagosian Quarterly, The Huffington Post, T Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur, BeautifulBizarre Magazine, PoetsArtists, ApartmentTherapy.com, Buzzfeed.com, The Brooklyn Rail, and Hyperallergic. Elbers lives in Bushwick, and aside from her studio practice, she is the Director of Exhibitions at the New York Academy of Art.
EDUCATION
2010 Masters of Fine Arts in Painting, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
2008 Bachelor of Arts (Painting and Drawing) and Minor in Music, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana. Summa Cum
Laude GPA of 4.0.
2007 New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, New Orleans, Louisiana.
EXHIBITION RECORD
2024 Take Home a Nude, Sotheby’s, New York, New York.
Substratum, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
2023 Deck the Walls, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Take Home a Nude, Sotheby’s, New York, New York.
Torn & Frayed, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
2022 Deck the Walls, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Take Home a Nude, Chelsea Industrial, New York, New York.
Tooth and Nail, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
2021 New Beginnings, Mandarin Oriental, Miami, Florida.
Artists for Artists, Sotheby's, New York, New York.
Summer Exhibition, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Esprit de Corps, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
The Border Walls II, The Border Project, Brooklyn, New York.
2020 Deck the Walls, nyaa.edu/deck-the-walls
TightyMighty, www.onetoonewomen.org
Artists for Artists, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Rinse & Repeat, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Curator's Choice, PoetsArtists and 33 Contemporary, Artsy.net
2019 Take Home a Nude, Sotheby’s, New York, New York.
Alumni Exhibition, Southeastern Louisiana University Contemporary Art Gallery, Hammond, Louisiana.
PS34 Group Exhibition, Dobbin Street, Brooklyn, New York.
Sparkle and Pop at Tribeca Ball, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Representing: Selected Works from Alumni and Faculty of the Academy, Artisan Lofts, New York, New York.
Adorn Me, PoetsArtists, Artsy.net and PoetsArtists.com.
2018 Real Men, Mandarin Oriental, Miami, Florida.
Take Home a Nude, Sotheby’s, New York, New York.
12th Annual Summer Exhibition, Flowers Gallery, New York, New York.
Women Exhibition, Dacia Gallery, New York, New York.
WTF, ArtPalmBeach January 17-21, 2018, West Palm Beach, Florida.
2017 Through the Eyes of an Artist, Panepinto Galleries, Jersey City, New Jersey.
Single Fare 4, Highline Stages, New York, New York.
Woman as Warrior, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, Illinois.
About Face, Southampton Arts Center, Southampton, New York.
11th Annual Summer Exhibition, Flowers, New York, New York.
Palette, Abend Gallery, Denver, Colorado.
The Time is Now, Chesterfield Gallery, New York, New York.
Animalia, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Formation, Bernarducci Meisel Gallery, New York, New York.
2016 Deck the Walls, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Point of Origin, The Lodge Gallery, New York, New York.
Picturing the Unprintable, Flux Factory, Long Island City, New York.
10th Annual Summer Exhibition, Flowers, New York, New York.
From the Academy, The Vendue, Charleston, South Carolina.
Funny Stuff, Tribeca Ball, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Mementos, Panepinto Galleries, 70 Columbus, Jersey City, New Jersey.
2015 Deck the Walls, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
My Favorite Things, Panepinto Galleries, W Hotel, Hoboken, New Jersey.
Take Home a Nude, Sotheby’s, New York, New York.
9th Annual Summer Exhibition, Flowers, New York, New York.
Happily Ever After, Tribeca Ball, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
JTSF Graphics Show, Tribeca Ball, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
2014 Love It, Locket, Leave It, Island Weiss Gallery, New York, New York.
Deck the Walls, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Take Home a Nude, Sotheby’s, New York, New York.
8th Annual Summer Exhibition, Flowers, New York, New York.
Arts in Bushwick Benefit, Storefront Ten Eyck, Brooklyn, New York.
The New Romantics, Mark Miller Gallery, New York, New York.
Alumni Pop-Up, Tribeca Ball, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Anniversary Show, 3 Years + 3 Days, NOosphere Arts, New York, New York.
2013 Deck the Walls, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Postcards to North Brooklyn, Arts@Renaissance, Brooklyn, New York.
Take Home a Nude, Sotheby’s, New York, New York.
Arts in Bushwick Benefit, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, New York.
Shifting Territories, Brooklyn Fire Proof, Brooklyn, New York.
Alumni Pop-Up, Tribeca Ball, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
I Am My World, NOosphere Arts, New York, New York.
Single Fare 3, RH Gallery, New York, New York.
Ladies, Kraine Gallery, New York, New York.
2012 Put a Bow on It, Kraine Gallery, New York, New York.
Deck the Walls, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Take Home a Nude, Sotheby’s, New York, New York.
Living Things, The Art Foundry, Us, New York, New York.
Open Studios, Arts in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York.
Arts in Bushwick Benefit, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, New York
Tribeca Ball, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
2011 Deck the Walls, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Salvaged, Island Weiss Gallery, New York, New York.
Take Home a Nude, Sotheby’s, New York, New York.
Open Studios, Arts in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York.
3rd Annual 100 Artist Exhibition, Ouchi Gallery, Brooklyn, New York.
Arts in Bushwick Benefit, Grace Exhibition Space, Brooklyn, New York.
Below Chambers, Biddy Earlys, New York, New York.
fəˈsäd, Kleio Projects, New York, New York.
Single Fare 2: Please Swipe Again, Sloan Fine Art, New York, New York.
2010 XX, Beta Spaces, Brooklyn, New York.
Deck the Walls, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
XXX, Reunion Show, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Alumni Show, Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
You Naughty Children, 2010 MFA Thesis Exhibition, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Single Fare, Brooklyn, New York.
Metpaint, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
2009 Deck the Walls, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
Take Home a Nude, Juried, New York Academy of Art Fundraiser, Sotheby’s, New York, New York.
3rd Annual Summer Exhibition, Juried by Eric Fischl, Michael Flowers, and Anne Strauss. New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
2008 Southeastern Louisiana University Senior Exhibition, Juried, Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
Visual Arts Department Student Juried Exhibition, Invitational, Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery, Southeastern
Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
2007 Currents, Visual Arts Society Juried student show, St. John’s Coffee Shop, Covington, Louisiana.
Guerrilla Show, Guerrilla Gallery in Clark Hall, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
Ice Cream Social, Guerrilla Gallery in Clark Hall, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
Salon des Refuses, Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
42nd Annual Juried Show, Juried by Ke Francis, St. Tammany Art Association, Covington, Louisiana.
Visual Arts Department Student Juried Exhibition, Juried by Greg Elliot, Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
Life is Art / Art is Love, Visual Arts Society Juried student show, Southeastern Sims Memorial Library, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
2006 Inside/Out, Visual Arts Society Juried student show, Hammond Eastside Apartments, Hammond, Louisiana.
Louisiana Heart Hospital Show, Juried by John Bullard, Louisiana Heart Hospital, Lacombe, Louisiana.
Figural, Visual Arts Society Juried student show, Hammond Eastside Apartments, Hammond, Louisiana.
Visual Arts Department Student Juried Exhibition, Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
Temporality Through Technology, Visual Arts Society Juried student show, Hammond Regional Arts Center, Hammond, Louisiana.
2005 Social Wars, Visual Arts Society Juried student show. Southeastern Sims Memorial Library, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
Advanced Drawing Show, The Greenbean Coffee Bar, Hammond, Louisiana.
COMMISSIONS
2007 Portrait of Dr. Larry Crain, former President, Southeastern Louisiana University. Part of the Past Presidents Collection in the Sims Memorial Library, Hammond, Louisiana.
2007 Art work of antique Wurlitzer band organ for City Park in New Orleans, Louisiana.
ARTIST LECTURES
2016 “Now and Then” Panel Discussion with Peter Drake, Audrey Flack, Michael Grimaldi, and Alia Nour, New York Academy
of Art, New York, New York.
2014 Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
2010 Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
2007 Mandeville High School, Fine Arts Survey class, Mandeville, Louisiana.
2006 Northshore High School, Fine Arts Survey class, Slidell, Louisiana.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Eckardt, Stephanie, “A First Look at Some Eclectic Faces in the Hamptons, From Cindy Sherman to Leonardo DiCaprio,” W Magazine, July 22, 2017.
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Lexington, Trek, “Trek Lexington in Conversation with Heidi Elbers,” The Blue Review, February 5, 2017.
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HONORS & AWARDS
2016 New York Foundation for the Arts Emerging Leader in Arts Administration
2009 Academy Service Scholarship, New York Academy of Art, New York, New York.
2008 Gail Hood Scholarship Award in Painting, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
Art History paper, “Kandinsky and Visual Music,” published in The Pick, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
The Helen Entrikin Art Scholarship Award, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
2005-2008 Holly and Smith, Architects, Inc. Excellence in Visual Arts and Music Scholarship, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
President’s List, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
2007 Second and Third Place- Currents, Visual Arts Society student show, St. John’s Coffee Shop, Covington, Louisiana.
Pop Tart Award: Best Figure Painting, Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery, Southeastern Louisiana University,
Hammond, Louisiana.
Best in Painting, Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery, Visual Arts Department Student Juried Exhibition, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
Best in Show- Life is Art / Art is Love, Visual Arts Society juried show, Southeastern Sims Memorial Library, Southeastern
Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
2006 Second Place- Inside/Out, Visual Arts Society juried show, Hammond Eastside Apartments, Hammond, Louisiana.
First Place- Painting, Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery. Visual Arts Department Student Juried Exhibition,
Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
First Place- Drawing, Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery. Visual Arts Department Student Juried Exhibition,
Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana.
2005 First Place- Book cover design (painting) for a novel.
