The Heart Art Story

The story behind Heart Art Expressions

The journey in life, especially when creating, is rarely a straight line

The heart is a universal symbol we all recognize no matter where we live. There are infinite ways to express love, joy, and the truths of the heart. My Heart Art Expressions are just that – expressions of the heart through art, each infused with a unique intention. What speaks to your heart may not resonate with another, and that’s the beauty about life and love.

In life, there are ups and downs, trials and tribulations, agony and ecstasy. Lost parts found and found parts lost. Yet the true essence remains.

The journey to Heart Art Expressions is no different. Only looking back can I see the threads of it woven throughout the tapestry of my life.

When I first started my entrepreneurial graphic design business, it was October. The holidays would be soon coming. I had few resources and even fewer clients. I decided to hand make them holiday cards. (This was long before things like Canva or cost-effective color laser printing.)

For years afterwards, even as my business grew, I handmade holiday cards.

One year I painted multiple abstract paintings and cut them up. Each person received a small piece of art. The message on each card was: “Within each heart lies the gift of art. Create JOY + PEACE for all.” (Pictured are the remaining cards.)

Although the rest of the cards are long gone and the clients have changed, that intention has always been an inspiration to me. It has served as a reminder that even though people may not always exhibit joy or peace or love, to themselves or others, buried within them are the seeds of joy, peace and love, no matter how dormant.

One summer I bought these beautiful colorful beans from a local farmers market. They were so fresh; they glistened in the heat of the morning, having just been picked.

I went home and took photos of them; a voice within me whispered, “this, paint this.” However, it took to being diagnosed as celiac in 2007 to change my relationship with fresh fruits and vegetables; I became open to painting “this”. I saw healthy food in a whole new light and found reverence for them that I had not previously appreciated. The bean painting, called Summer Harvest, was the first painting of my food art in a more distinctive style. It received several awards in art shows, the first of multiple award-winning food art paintings.

The food paintings are abstract in composition yet realistic in execution. My intention was to express the beauty and spirit of the food as works of art. The light within the fruits and vegetables exists as it does within all things. I always say I paint the light, while the most common remarks were about the shadows. My food art series explored the light, although there would be no shadows without the light. True in life as it is in art.

Eventually my food art series evolved into a kids’ cookbook and product line called Fun Foodie Friends – where fun is the first ingredient in helping you make friends with your fruits and vegetables.

But then my life took a detour. I had a near-death experience saving someone from drowning. (Read more about that here.)

Thereafter, my partnership with Fun Foodie Friends ended, and several other diversions in my life occurred. For the most part, I put my paintbrush down to heal and deal with life for a while.

During COVID, I felt inspired to paint a heart, like a beacon guiding me. Then another, and another. And so, my Heart Art Expressions began to emerge.

Today, I’ve returned to painting with renewed purpose. The intentions behind my art reflect the themes I explore with private clients and within my own journey. I’ve grown more comfortable and trusting in the process of intuitive painting, allowing each piece to emerge naturally. This approach infuses my work with a playful, whimsical energy while remaining deeply spiritual. Through it, I’ve discovered a joy that now flows more freely into both my art and my life.

My intention is for my art to serve as a beacon of love, healing, and inspiration. At its core, life is about love – or its absence. My hope is that we all choose love, always. My Heart Art Expressions will connect you with your heart and soul and what truly lights you up.

©2026 Elaine Callahan. All Rights Reserved.