Cortney Herron (b. 1988, Los Angeles, CA) is a contemporary figurative painter whose work lives at the intersection of surrealism and the inner emotional world. Her paintings are quiet worlds built from earthy, organic palettes, inviting viewers to slow down and inhabit a different quality of attention.
She paints the invisible: the energy that moves between people, the weight of an unspoken moment, the way an environment can hold or dissolve a feeling. Her paintings often capture intimate moments that may seem ordinary at first glance but reveal a deeper sense of calm and reflection over time.
Beyond her personal practice, Cortney has collaborated with brands including Olympia Le-Tan, Primark, NWSL, Target, Nordstrom, World Market, Pressed Juicery, Bombay Sapphire, Dagne Dover, Society6, Refinery29, and more, with a body of work that spans oil, acrylic, and digital mediums. Her art has been featured in numerous publications, galleries, and art fairs, earning recognition for its ability to pause time and offer viewers a moment of stillness.
Since 2023, she has been a working artist out of her Los Angeles home studio, where she remains deeply focused on her personal practice. Her original work is represented by Tappan Gallery in Los Angeles, with additional works available through Pop Up Home, as well as select exhibitions.
Publications
2026
CBS News LA - Butter Fine Art Fair featuring a local painter
The LA Sentinel - Cortney Herron to Exhibit at BUTTER Fine Art Fair in Los Angeles
2025
Society6 - 2026 Trade Lookbook Catalog
Seminal - Cortney Herron on Reflection and the Art of Stillness
LA Weekly - Indiana Spreads To LA With Butter At Context Projects In View Park
FoodBeast - Pressed Juicery Honors Black History Month With Limited Edition Artist Series
Delish - 8 Black History Month Food Collaborations To Get Excited About
2024
Colossal - 5 Artists To See at The Other Art Fair’s Los Angeles Edition This April - 2024
Saatchi Art: Summer 2024 Chief Curator Picks
MUNTHE: Art Monday - 2024
2023
LA Weekly - October 2023 (WYTCHES at Dorado 806 Projects)
Artlife + Style - October 2023
Canvas Rebel - September 2023
Jersey City Times - August 2023
Good Housekeeping Magazine - June 2023
Hello! Magazine - February 2023
2022
Une Femme Wines - September 2022
Affordable Art Fair - September 2022
Jersey City Times - March 2022
2021
Spacey - 2021
Find Peace Keep Peace - July 2021
2020
Shoutout LA - May 2020
2018
The Argonaut - August 2018
VoyageLA - August 2018
2017
Visionary Projects - November 2017
As Seen On
Bel-Air (Peacock) Season 3, Episode 10
A Black Lady Sketch Show - Episodes: "It's Getting Heist in Here" and "Loc'd In"
Based on a True Story (Peacock) Season 2
Artist Statement
My work explores the quiet, in-between moments of introspection and the unseen energies that shape how we move through the world. I’m interested in the ways we absorb energy from our surroundings and from one another, and how those subtle exchanges influence our emotions, relationships, and sense of self. A glance, a gesture, the feeling of entering a room, or a moment of stillness can carry a depth that isn’t always immediately visible.
My paintings blend figurative imagery with surrealism, placing familiar human experiences within dreamlike environments. I use color, composition, atmosphere, and recurring symbols to create spaces that feel both grounded and otherworldly. Growing up in Los Angeles, I developed a deep connection to the contrasting energies of the ocean, the warmth of the sun, the natural landscape, and the rhythm of the city. Those environments continue to influence the visual language of my work, particularly my interest in the relationship between softness and strength, presence and absence, and the inner and outer worlds we inhabit.
My process is deeply rooted in self-reflection and solitude. In the studio, usually with music flowing through my headphones, I allow intuition to guide the work and leave room for experimentation and discovery. I’m less interested in controlling every outcome than in paying attention to what emerges through the process. That sense of surrender allows the paintings to develop organically, often revealing something I wasn’t consciously looking for when I began.
At its core, my work is about finding quiet beauty in the ordinary and bringing attention to fleeting moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. I want the paintings to create a sense of pause, inviting viewers into a space where time softens and emotions have room to surface. In a world that constantly asks us to move, I’m interested in creating a moment to stop, breathe, and become more aware of the energies we carry, share, and leave behind.