from 1945 to 1950 heerich studied fine arts at the kunstakademie düsseldorf under ewald mataré. from 1950 to 1954, he belonged, together with joseph beuys, to the master class of his professor. at that time, he chiefly produced sculptures representing animals and drawings of plants. in 1954, he left the düsseldorf academy and worked as an artist and art teacher. since 1959, he used cardboard as his artistic material. he presented 10 of these "kartonplastiken" at the documenta iv (1968) in kassel.