Julie Heffernan's *Self-Portrait as Decoy* is a lush, theatrically staged oil painting in which the artist depicts herself adorned with elaborate natural and fantastical elements, blurring the boundary between the human figure and the surrounding world. With masterful technique rooted in the tradition of Old Master painting, Heffernan layers rich, jewel-toned imagery to create a sense of opulent abundance tinged with underlying tension. The work invites questions about identity, illusion, and the performative nature of self-representation.