Heather Essian has always considered herself an artist.

The medium of choice has changed over the years from photography to painting, plaster and even textiles, but the creativity has never wavered. A 900-square-foot studio in the 76107 Collective off Vickery Boulevard reflects Essian’s diverse skillset. 

In the front room, an abstract painting hangs on the wall, complemented by an arrangement of white plaster flowers. Small fabric statement bags printed with Essian’s designs and stitched together by a local refugee woman sit on the counter. A design space within has wallpaper, fabric samples and pillows made from her fabrics. 

Interiors and home decor catalyze Essian’s artwork, emphasizing how different styles complement each other. 

“I’m very inspired by the way that modern plays off of antique and vice versa and mixing those things and how [they] look in a home,” Essian says. “I really believe in people living in an inspired way.” 

Faith influences her work, too, recently shown through a contemporary abstract collection released this past December called “Rooted.” Her inspiration was Ephesians 3:17, which focuses on being rooted and grounded in love. While painting the collection, Essian meditated on the verse and let it guide her. 

“When I’m deeply rooted, I have the freedom to branch out and try new things,” Essian says. “Especially in my art, I can try new things. I can use unique colors. I can not feel confined by one particular style or way of doing things.” 

The collection contains 16 pieces, Essian’s largest to date and fourth since 2020, with each communicating her feelings through texture, form, and “energetic strokes.” Titles like “Still Waters,” “Steadfast,” “Valient” and “Grounded in Love,” and her use of lighter tones such as whites, blues, greens and yellows give the paintings a warm, welcoming aura.  

Essian started painting about 12 years ago and added plaster to her portfolio in 2019. She created a shapes-and-textures series featuring plaster fabric on canvas, eventually making bowls and flower wall art. Now, about one-third of Essian’s work centers around plaster. 

“Those are kind of fun ’cause they really are sculptures,” she says. “They start from nothing and are all hand sculpted. They’re very laborious but really beautiful pieces.”

In 2022, Essian launched a line of hand-painted wallpapers and textiles that patrons can turn into home decor like pillows, Roman shades and drapes. 

Each textile or wallpaper starts as a painting that a North Carolina company replicates digitally. They print the textiles and wallpapers using water-based, non-toxic material while a local seamstress sews the pillows and window coverings. 

“It just felt like the right next step with my artwork,” she says. “I can only custom or handpaint so much art in one year, but the textiles allow me to be creative and have a vision for the whole space, not just the art.”

Essian has done countless commissioned pieces, which are found in homes across the country and in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Birmingham, Alabama showrooms.

Commissioned work took up the majority of Essian’s time when she first started painting after her second of three daughters was born, turning a hobby into a full-time job. Before then, she worked as a photographer for 12 years—even opening a studio on Magnolia at one point—and continued on a part-time basis following the birth of her eldest daughter.

Photography served as a creative outlet in the early days of motherhood, but coordinating photo shoots became much harder as Essian transitoned to being a stay-at-home mom. Still needing a creative outlet, she focused on painting. 

“At that time, we just so happened to need art in our home,” Essian says. “And I thought, ‘Well, we’ve got an unfinished room above the garage. Why don’t I just get lost in painting?’”

Essian chose abstract art because she loved looking at it in home decor and coffee table books. When Essian and her husband moved into their first home more than 15 years ago, she poured over those books seeking decor ideas.

As Pinterest and other social media sites became popular, Essian gained more exposure to abstract art and thought replicating it would be easy. She soon learned that was not the case. 

“It is not a quick turnaround,” Essian says. “There are times when I wish it could be, but it’s not. I do think there’s beauty in not rushing that creative process and allowing yourself to study the colors and the shapes to see if it works.”

On Instagram, Essian documented her “art journey” so friends and family could follow along. Her photography background made the medium shift less daunting because of several overlapping principles, including light, mid-tones, contrasting colors and compositional elements.

Essian slowly received enough commissions to fund the new hobby, eventually opening a full-time business eight years ago, she says. But it wasn’t until 2020 that the COVID-19 pandemic took everything to another level.

With everyone stuck at home staring at blank walls, they had plenty of time to reimagine their homes. Essian’s artwork became a popular home decor option. 

“I had more commission work than I could keep up with; it was a little bit crazy,” she says. “It was that year that I thought, ‘Okay, I feel like the art is kind of driving me, and I’m not driving it.’ I lost my voice a little bit and the inspiration for where I am going.” 

During the influx of business, a commission came in for three nearly nine-foot-tall paintings. Moving those paintings up and down the narrow stairs of a 100-plus-year-old house was impractical, creating the need for a bigger studio space.

A search around Fort Worth uncovered the 76107 Collective, owned by Jill Black. Black had planned to hold small business pop-ups there, but the pandemic had halted that sort of activity. So, she offered Essian a three-month lease. Essian moved in May 2021 and has remained a permanent staple of the Collective. 

As the business grows, a few things stay constant. 

Essian continues recording the journey of commissioned artwork from start to finish and shares it with clients. She might write a client’s preferred inspirational verses or sayings on the front of the canvas before painting over them. Client’s kids have even traced their hands on the back of a canvas, connecting them with the painting forever and sharing in the joy created through Essian’s lifelong passion. 

“My hope is just to continue doing what I love and inspire others,” she says. “I don’t see myself ever not painting because it’s just such a love of mine.”