Heather Copus

Heather Copus (b. 1969) is a Bay Area artist who joined NIAD Art Center in 2013. Over the years, she’s produced elaborate mixed-media costumes as well as works on paper using typewriters, stencils, and letterpress printing. To each endeavor, Copus brings a passionate fandom for pop icons, which range from actors in classic sitcoms to legendary rock musicians. “I'm the fifth member of KISS.” Copus explains, “I’m going to make Paul Stanley a belt. He's gonna love that. I've been with KISS a long time, doing my sewing for them.”

Copus treats “collecting” as a pillar of her practice, amassing unconventional sculpture and textile materials to eventually sort into surfaces and adornments. Inspired by concert attire, she’s crafted show-stopping platform boots from wood and lace, complete with a glitzy studded armor of hammered silver thumbtacks.

Her work has been selected by guest curators for numerous virtual exhibitions, and featured in local institutions such as Sonoma State University and the Oakland Museum of California. In 2021, Heather Copus was among eight NIAD artists who participated in the Mini Mural Festival at SFMoMA, painting her distinctive serif text on the 8 x 8’ surface.