The Story Behind Herzik Gallery

I was born in San Antonio, Texas. My early dreams of being an artist were encouraged by my parents and art instructors. My father was an accomplished artist, an award-winning photographer and my mother a noted school psychologist and speaker.  At age 11, while taking a drawing class at the Witte Museum, the instructor expressed to my mother that I was gifted and should pursue the arts.  Later, I studied at the McNay Art Institute and took other private and college drawing classes utilizing live models.  While working on a degree in fine arts, I was offered a job at Southwest Research Institute to illustrate for medical research.  In the 1980s, I taught art to children and painted stage props and murals for the San Antonio Zoo, the Sunken Gardens and Convention Center.  I worked many years in the printing industry as an illustrator and two years in computer graphics. After much soul searching, I decided to go back to freelancing, to paint, promote and sell my own art.

For over two years I had a home studio in Belize, Central America.  It was located on a mountainside with a panoramic view of the country located next to Mayan ruins at the edge of the rainforest and near the border of Guatemala.  I traveled extensively photographing the wildlife and people of Belize.  The photographs continue to provide inspiration for many paintings and sculpture. 

I’m fortunate to have friends and family that work with endangered birds of prey.  This allows me to photograph a bird without disturbing it while it’s in rehabilitation to be released upon recovery.  Later in my studio I research the species to paint them in their natural habitat.

I try to capture the essence of a subject through the eyes, finding expression, concentrating on form, value, temperature, and then color.  When painting, no matter the process, I paint with a sense of urgency and with passion.  I rely on my technical ability to be there but I don’t think about it.  I like to call this “the zone”, possibly like a runner’s high or what a musician might feel.

I now call Rockport my home. My favorite subjects are birds and wildlife. In Belize, I became aware of the fragile interface between man and the environment and focused on capturing the beauty of the natural world. Here in Rockport that remains my focus. I have developed a passionate style that captures the essence of my subjects and brings my sensibilities to the canvas in magical ways.  For more information contact deannaspruce06@yahoo.com or 210-639-2340. Thank you.