About

Tina Heinen Collection

Hi! My name is Tina Heinen. I am a wife and mother, living in South Louisiana. I have had some sort of creative outlet for as long as I can remember; it truly brings me so much joy. I feel like my best self when I’m creating, even more so when creating with the Lord and striving to do his work.

I have been Catholic all my life. In every season, my faith has held different meanings to me, but it has always been my anchor. In my 28 years on this earth, I’ve experienced great loss and great joy. The Lord and Our Lady have seen me through both.

I started this collection in 2020, as a side-project while working full-time as an SLP. I wasn’t sure what would come of it, but I had a subtle inclination that the Lord’s plans for it were bigger than my own. I had recently consecrated my life to the Blessed Mother in a 30-day consecration, and I knew that I had to place this business in her hands as well. She has truly carried it to where it is today.

The next year, I somehow convinced my husband to convert the hayloft above our horse barn into my studio. He is my biggest supporter, and having this work space has been a dream come true.

If the baby and I aren’t in the studio, you can find us feeding the chickens, going for a run, baking sourdough breads, riding through the cows or spending the afternoon from the buddy seat of a tractor.

The nature of this business has shifted with the seasons of my life, but one thing has remained constant— He is the one leading it. If the Lord has given me any talents to use here on earth, I want them to be well-worn when I return them. I believe that when the Lord places strong convictions on our hearts, we’re called to share them, with whomever we can reach.

This collection is my sincerest attempt at doing both.

What is an intaglio?

Historically, “intaglios” refer to small hand-carved stones that were collected as souvenirs from trips through Europe in the early 19th century, before the invention of photography. Today, these stones are framed as elegant pieces of wall art, adding visual interest and a sophisticated feel to a room’s interior design.

Once I started experimenting with plaster artwork, I knew I wanted to recreate this classic look with an ode to the beauty of the Catholic faith. One thing led to another and I now offer 50+ Catholic intaglios. I’ve spent countless hours putting this collection together, from sourcing the images often from imported European antiques, to constructing the molds, and curating the frames.

Through lots of trial and error, I’ve continually sought to improve the quality and durability of these intaglios. They are hand crafted from a high strength plaster, now much thicker than in their earlier stages, and sealed with a protective matte finish.

In the same way that you might inherit your grandmother’s Bible, my vision for these intaglios is that they would become a sort of family heirloom, as a means to pass down the family’s Catholic faith for generations to come.I think the beauty of intaglios is found in their subtleness. They’re not loud or overbearing and can fit seamlessly with most design styles. Their charm is almost hidden to the unsuspecting viewer because of their small, simple design. One might walk right past them, unaware of the images they bare. But at second glance, the intricate details are revealed and the sacred images tell a story with a deeper meaning. Even if only for a moment, these holy faces can move our hearts a little closer to His.

Ornate architecture, stained glass windows, grand statues, elaborate murals. The Catholic churches and cathedrals throughout the world are known for their beauty, and this beauty is not without purpose. It’s a gift from God that gives our limited human senses a visual representation of the sacredness that dwells within their walls…

Jesus Christ Himself, present in the Blessed Sacrament.

There is sacredness within the walls of our homes too. Just as Jesus dwells in the tabernacles, he also dwells within the hearts of our families. Our homes are the domestics churches, and what we put into them matters. What happens within these walls prepares us as Christians to go out into the world and be a “light to the nations” (Isaiah 42:6)

As mothers, it’s our job to cultivate our domestic church, to set the tone for an authentic Christian home. To give our children visual representations of the sacredness that dwells within them. To fill our home with the beauty that is our faith.

This is the mission of

Tina Heinen Collection.

• to inspire the interior life through the beauty of interior design

• to bring the sacred into the everyday

• to help make our homes into the domestic churches that will prepare our families for the life He is calling us to live.

——“Jesus” was one of my son’s first words and as an SLP I can’t even say I was responsible for that. It was the natural consequence of him spending countless hours in the studio with me surrounded by hundreds of imagines of Jesus. I just think that’s so beautiful and it made me realize the importance of what I choose to surround him with.

I'm so grateful to be able to do what I do with him on my hip.