Heidi Coutu has been a working artist since 1984 and her art is collected by individuals and corporations throughout the United States and abroad. With seven one-woman shows and two museum solo exhibitions, she has been featured in Architectural Digest, Art and Antiques, and Veranda Magazines, and on the PBS series, By Their Own Hands. Heidi resided at Yale University as a resident fellow at Timothy Dwight College for five years, where she taught student workshops. She has also taught painting workshops in Tuscany and Mexico.

The portrait phase of her painting career bloomed at Yale. Heidi painted several official portraits which now hang in prominent places throughout the University. Prior to that, Heidi was unaware of her brewing talent for capturing the essence of her subjects. Portraiture presented the greatest challenge of her career, and she has embraced it since.

A traditional formal portrait is very time and labor-intensive. It typically includes several sittings, lighting in the studio or in the location, several in-person consultations, and of course, painting on site.  Heidi has always wished that these personal artworks were accessible to more people. She has found a way to do that through Life Iconic Studio.

She currently lives with her husband and golden retriever on the Connecticut shore where they are restoring a historic home.