Most people glance at a horse, quickly take in its beauty, and move on. Andrea Bear reaches for her camera.
Based in Heber Valley, Bear is a fine art photographer who turns the wild beauty of Utah—and the places she travels—into images that stop you mid scroll. Her journey to Utah happened in 2020, when her son, Benji, a software engineer, came to Park City during COVID. Andrea followed, fell in love with the area and purchased a home in Midway. The sweeping landscapes of Park City and the surrounding valleys have inspired her photography and continue to fuel her work. Her gallery, Safn Haus, is an extension of her lens, offering a space for creativity and the magic in everyday life.
“This area just spoke to me,” Bear shares. “The majority of the work I sell here is all taken locally. It’s a love letter to this area.”
Art That Belongs on Your Wall
Bear’s work has earned a following among private collectors, galleries, and interior designers. Her images slip effortlessly into modern homes while staying versatile enough to elevate any space.
Each piece feels like the finishing touch a room was missing thanks to her signature service: wall design.
Think of it as art curation made personal. Bear partners with clients and/or their designers to select and integrate fine art photography that complements their interiors, their aesthetic, and their individual wall spaces. She helps narrow the choices, choose the right sizes, and pick the perfect finish.
“One of my favorite things is when I get to the client’s home, I get to see their style, their colors, their aesthetic,” she continues. “As we’re choosing the art and seeing the spaces that need art, I pull from the hundreds of images I have and guide clients through the design process, offering recommendations and presenting options. One of the things that makes my process unique is that every piece can be customized specifically for the client’s home. I can adjust the colors of an existing photograph to complement their interior palette, custom crop an image to fit the space perfectly, or even create an entirely new design from scratch. My goal is to make selecting custom wall art an enjoyable, collaborative experience—one that results in artwork that feels personal and meant to be part of their home.”
The result? Spaces that are not only stunning but also feel intentional, personal, and alive.
“An immense amount of detail goes into this process, which makes you really feel it’s a very personal experience—like you’re bringing something truly meaningful into your home,” explains client Nicola Pugliese. “We’re hoping we have some more homes that we can fill with her art going forward.”
Always the Artist
Raised in New York City, Bear’s artistic roots were nurtured from an early age, when she sold her first photograph at just 8 years old. She later pursued her passion for the arts by studying musical theatre at the University of Michigan, where her creative spirit truly began to flourish.
Today, photography and music remain at the heart of everything she does. When Bear isn’t behind the lens, she’s coaching vocal contestants on The Voice as well as top Disney talent and Broadway productions to help them shine under the brightest lights.
It’s a perfect second act for an artist who understands how a single moment captured in a frame or held in a note can deeply move us. A mother of three, Bear continues to bring that same curiosity and love of storytelling to her work. That creative gift runs in the family, as Bear’s youngest daughter, Emily, is a well-known composer, singer, and songwriter who co-wrote the soundtrack for Disney’s Moana 2. Lauren, her oldest daughter, is a harpist and competitive figure skater.
Safn Haus Gallery & Event Space
Safn Haus Gallery & Event Space is Bear’s creative home in Heber Valley. Opened in January, the venue is a versatile space where artistry and community intertwine. It’s also home to the Feather Hat Bar, with custom hat and cyanotype art by Alison KZ. Guests can immerse themselves in a stylish, relaxing ambiance alongside an evolving roster of exhibitions, pop-ups, and hands-on workshops.
Every detail of Safn Haus (a Nordic word that means “creative community gathering space”) reflects its commitment to connection and creativity. From its flexible open layout to its cozy, inviting aesthetic and professional gallery-quality displays, the space caters to a wide array of events including captivating art shows, immersive installations, artist-led workshops, live music performances, meaningful community meetups, and networking events.
“One of my main goals for the gallery is using it as a place to serve the community and offer the space to nonprofits, foundations, and local organizations to use free of charge for fundraising events,” Bear explains. “It’s my way of giving back to the community that has inspired me.”
Explore Bear’s collections at safnhaus.com.
