Heph

About

Shawn Hefele, aka Heph, started drawing as soon as he could hold a pencil.  When Shawn was a kid, his dad would take him for walks amid the active graffiti scene in Victoria, BC. Shawn fell in love with the colours, messages and imagery: His drawing began to gravitate to those aspects. The Trackside Gallery Wall, a gathering place for graffiti artists, was an inspiration during Shawn’s teenage years. In 2012, Shawn was encouraged by a friend to start street painting. Shawn set about leaning all he could from his mentor about technique – how to paint, where to source paint, the various caps to create the perfect lines for the piece – and the ethics of street art.
Shawn now lives full time in DTES working on his art work for community walls and children’s books. He offers a real and inspired perspective of the world around him and paints to bring joy and hope to the people here.

Philosophy

“My philosophy for artwork and life are the same: to bring beauty and hope to people. The goal is for my art to reach a demographic who may not visit galleries. I look to present messages and stories about my community – while at the same time bringing light, colour and maybe a smile to people who live here. I have found community in DTES and want to support people who may be experiencing difficult times. Using imagery that I feel protects the people of the downtown eastside, I believe in the power of love and compassion that art projects. It has been my honour to meet many wonderful people in DTES and I am doing my best to be a positive member of this community.
I am very grateful to live here.”

Shawn Hefele, 2022

Work

Heph’s work is on display in Victoria and Vancouver. His well known Angel Mural, painted in 2018, has been featured in numerous profiles and documentaries about Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
He is currently working on commissioned and community projects in the Downtown Eastside and the Sunshine Coast. Shawn lives by his Paint Every Day philosophy and his artwork is a beacon of light throughout DTES.

Media Inquiries / Contact

Insta: @hef1983

Email: hefele.shawn@gmail.com

Media / Permission Inquiries: Please email

Bringing joy, playfulness, wonder and hope to the streets with urban art.

See more Heph at Insta: @hef1983