David Heo

A native of rural Acworth, Georgia, David Heo took his earliest creative inspiration from the drawings of his older brother. As a teen he immersed himself in tattooing, a craft that deeply influenced the hard edges, detailed imagery and bold color palette that are hallmarks of his work today. Heo received his Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; while at SAIC, he frequently employed non-traditional materials like crayons, house paint and construction paper.

Heo mounted his first solo exhibit in Chicago in late 2017; he’s since exhibited in galleries across the Windy City as well as London and San Francisco, and collaborated on projects with brands including Lo Rez Brewing, the Ace Hotel and Newcity.

Solo show at Vertical Gallery:
"Honey & Smoke" March 7-28, 2020
"Presence" Sept 11-Oct 2, 2021