Heather French-Roussia is an artist who says her appreciation for fine food and beverage has grown through the years. She graduated from Atlanta College of Art and at Parsons School of Design in NYC where she majored as a portrait painter. While at the University of Pennsylvania Heather switched interest and earned her masters in Fine Art to become a still life painter. What she loves about still life painting is that they create narratives through the use of objects. Wine has dominated her subject matter; it was inspired by a great friendship between her and Dino, who’s now her husband. Dino gave her some wine bottles to paint and that was all it took. Her interest and knowledge of wine and related subjects has propelled her art to new heights. It keeps her enthralled as this subject matter is timeless and worldwide. In 1996, she received the Charles Adams Memorial Award.
She has also painted for Wente Winery in California, Lakeridge Winery in Florida, and the King Estate Winery in Oregon. The artist has also worked with the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival at Walt Disney World been as the official poster artist. Heather’s cheery, bright images are the very representatives of that world-class event. They are reproduced on its aprons, souvenir glasses, and its signature posters which are highly collectible. At her booth at Epcot, she displays her diversity of subject matter as well as medium; she works in watercolors, oils, collages and mixed media. In 2008, she was commissioned by Horse Shoe Casino to produce ten paintings.
