Professor - Painting
heather.hertel@sru.edu
724.738.2338
Art Building
Heather is an artist and educator. After graduating from Mercyhurst Preparatory School, Erie, Pennsylvania in 1991, Heather continued as an artist and a rower at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, studying painting under the direction of Jerome Witkin and receiving a Bachelor of Fine Art in Painting, 1995, and a Master of Science in Art Education in 1998. In 1995, she was a Syracuse University Rhodes Scholar nominee and received the Abbie Bigelow Award of Courage from the Syracuse Rowing Team. She then lived in Miami, Florida, coaching rowing for the University of Miami 1995- 97, and trained for the U.S. National Windsurfing team. She returned to Western Pennsylvania to complete her Master of Fine Art in Painting, 2003 at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where she also instructed Foundation courses 2004-06.
Heather has been given the Circle of Mercy Award from Mercyhurst Preparatory School for exceptional service in the arts. Moreover, art endeavors have taken her to the Santa Reparata International School of Art, Florence, Italy in 2002, and to art residencies at Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Amherst, Virginia 2007, and Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, Vermont 2008.
Her paintings are in many private collections spanning the globe from Brazil, South America to Montreal, Canada. She also enjoys racing on the J35 sailing vessel, Magic, with her family. Currently, as Assistant Professor of Art in Painting at Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, Heather continues teaching at the collegiate level, while also painting and exhibiting regionally, nationally, and internationally.
www.hhertel.com