Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leigh-Ann Edrich Aka ILIA. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Leigh-Ann Edrich, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?
While I was experimenting with paints and techniques, I also learned how to create websites and do internet marketing in order to help my fellow creative and talented friends. It was at that time I learned graphics for both. To do so I had to learn many different graphic programs.
Being a creative person, I said “what if…” and what started as a hobby has evolved into a technique that I created! Dreamscapes by ILIA! I specialize in art that takes people to places they haven’t been before. My Dreamscapes are fantasy forms and designs that are fused together into digital art which simulates the colors of nature and space, and are intended to reach a person with the message that purposes, dreams and goals can become a reality.
I create each part of a dreamscape and then put the pieces together. I take out what doesn’t belong, add what’s needed and do magic with the colors to get the whole piece to harmonize. Each dreamscape takes fifty to one hundred hours to create! In 2023 I became internationally known and also broke many records by winning sixty-eight contests for publications and exhibitions.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
As a child, I was very creative. I did crafts, drew and starting at fifteen year old, I wrote poetry. In High School I took a creative writing class and art classes. My family and relatives were happy to receive handmade and hand-written gifts for the holidays. I was aiming for an artistic life.
When I got a bit older and started telling classmates, people I met in life, co-workers, etc. of my dreams, I was greeted with criticisms, “it can’t be done,” “you should give up, you’ll never make it,” “is that all you know how to draw?,” “my kindergarten class can paint better than you,” negativity and more. By the time I was thirty, I gave up on any hopes or dreams of ever creating and became a roofer.
Needless to say it wasn’t my dream job and eventually I worked in an office instead. I found that there was a co-worker that had the same habit as I did! This elderly gentleman liked to sit in the lobby, have coffee with chocolate in it and read prior to going to work. I did the same thing! We quickly became good friends and had morning coffee together!
I was transferred to a different city, so we became pen pals. I found out that he was a wonderful poet. Then one day I sent along one of my “doodles.” Only to find that my dear friend hung it up in his busy office and in his next letter he wrote the reactions of others to my art. This rekindled me and was the start of becoming an internationally known artist.
Around that same time, I found out that my dear friend was a Master of Fine Arts from Colombia University! He was from the old school of “validating the rightness.” Which is how he got me to dare to create once more. I was rekindled as an artist and something new: I really wanted to help other Artists and Performing Artists to succeed.
I did have some success with my creations but wasn’t satisfied that my message was getting across the way I intended. For several years, I worked with pencils, pastels, oil paints, and acrylic paints.
I believe that one item that sets me apart from other artists is while moving forward myself as an artist, I help as many creative and talented people as I can to move forward themselves. If one looks at what has come down the ages at the items that have been preserved and cherished, it’s the Arts and Performing Arts. From drawings on cave dwellings to architecture, jewelry and music, to visual artists and writers and much more have been preserved down through the ages. Creative people do play an important role in the present day culture. I firmly believe that its not “Art for Arts Sake” that will be preserved and that it will be the creations that truly reach individuals with a positive message.
That’s what I strive for in myself and also help others to achieve. It’s a pure joy for me to see a creative person grow and reach their dreams, only to then create even bigger dreams.
What I’ve achieved so far is being successful as both a multi-talented artist and as an artist mentor. Two books will be published this year. One will be the path I walked to be successful and known internationally as a visual artist. The second book will be about The Art of Mentoring. A skilled mentor using the “Validate the Rightness” old-fashioned method of helping artists and performing artists can do wonders when helping artists and performing artists succeed, this book will give the steps to practice and be successful as a mentor.
I’m very proud to say that per comments received over the years that dreamscapes inspire and uplift people plus my mentoring creative and talented folks has helped artists worldwide.
Here’s some comments about the Dreamscapes I create (www.ilia.life):
“Its been exciting, endearing and pleasantly fascinating watching your skill in this medium evolve and excel. I have always loved your work . Always intrigued and fascinated. Baffled by the technical nature of it. Impressed with your mastery.” Comment from Award Winning Wood Carver, FPD
“Your art is very unique and inspiring spiritually.” LL
“I wonder how long it took Ilia to get that good?” Because it’s more than a beautiful technique that I see. What I mean is, the technique is like a sling-shot: it moves the expression where you want it to go which is far above the physical universe. It is such a fine and light touch. I do not detect any force. It shoots way way over the moon and into the stars. It is very spiritual. I am SURE others feel this way.” KK
And, mentoring artists comments (www.help-2-succeed.com):
“Thank you so much for all your loads of information and for taking the time with me. You are a rare breed which is hard to find these days and I just want you to know how much I appreciate your help.” L.M.
“Thank you so much for this! The info on your website is fantastic. I’m a songwriter and musician. Now I’ve got some ideas of things I can do and I know that there’s support out there. This is a wonderful service you are providing. Thank you so much.” A.R.G.
“I really want to thank you so much for this website- Help to Succeed! I just downloaded the painting tools and created my FIRST EVER PAINTING ON THE COMPUTER!!! Really my first painting in YEARS! This is so fantastic! THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!” N.A.
I’m very happy to announce my plans for more expansion during this year.
This year my creations will be found in more galleries around the world, in businesses large and small and homes, making people happy, inspired and uplifted.
A long-term project to help artists and performing artists will be open and ready to use this year. It gives creative individuals ALL of their Artist Rights and Human Rights. It’s called Indie Artists Club.
I look forward to creating success for one and all!
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
There are two books that I have used that truly helped with my thinking and philosophy for my own artistic creations and when helping others to achieve success: The Art Book and Problems of Work. Both books are written by L. Ron Hubbard.
The Art Book is vital for all creative and talented people. I was especially surprised about the information regarding message and communication. I worked and surveyed people to ensure that my messages of inspiration and of being able to attain purposes, dreams and goals got across to my viewers. Which, per feedback, verbal and written, does get across.
Problems of Work supplies tools and information to use in your business and in your workspace.
Both books can either be checked out at your local library or purchased on Amazon.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
In order to learn how to mentor artists, I had to practice how to not be critical, use invalidation and evaluation not only when working with creative people but folks from all walks of life. It was a part of learning how to be a mentor and using the “Validate the Rightness” method.
I didn’t grow up in the era that my mentor did. Times changed, women were in the work place instead of being at home nurturing children. Life was faster, manners were reduced and in some cases forgotten altogether. And, being critical, invalidating and evaluating for others works moved into place.
For an example, I had a creative writing class in High School. An assignment I received was to write a creative short story about something ordinary that occurred in my household. I wrote about how my two younger brothers cleaned their bedroom and used the description “tidy mess” to explain how my brothers would put clothes and toys into a tidy mess. My creative writing teacher gave me a failing grade because there was no such thing as a “tidy mess” and the two words aren’t used together. My mother made an appointment and saw my teacher to explain that there does exist tidy messes in my brothers room and that I rightly named it! She also told the teacher that it was a “creative writing” class! My grade was changed to an “A.”
Here’s a couple other real life stories to get the point across:
The first story is about a young lady that had a writing professor in college criticize her poetry. He did this so much that she gave up on being a poet and writer which were life-long dreams of hers. I asked her if she still had the papers, which she did and showed me. The professor had circled areas of her works with a red pen and explained in detail all the things that she did wrong and how she will never be professional because of it. Thing was, her poetry and writings were beautiful. I told her so and she did get back to writing.
The second story unraveled a mystery for me. I belonged to an online group of writers. One day, a lady wrote that she was new and that the poem that she posted is the very first time that she has shown another her works, so please be gentle. What she received was a barrage of negative comments, suggestions of how she should change her style and even one on how she should just give up. Of course I jumped in defending the lady because she had asked for the group to please be gentle. In the group, I was the only person defending her! This definitely led to many conversations and finally another person wrote to me directly because I asked why give her such a hard time. The message I received was that their college professors taught them that “if you can’t take criticism, then you shouldn’t be an artist.”
When you use the “Validate the Rightness” method of teaching, you are telling that other person what was done correctly, not what was done wrong. By putting the attention on the wrong things done, a person starts working to correct those things only. By putting the attention on the correct actions, the person blossoms by doing more and more correct actions. Somehow the “wrong” actions disappear only to be replaced by correct techniques that create wonders.
Practicing to see the good in something and pointing out the good, helps people. It helped me personally as an artist and it has benefitted every single person that I’ve helped, whether as a friend or as a mentor. I complement the good and it’s worked amazing wonders every time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ilia.life/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/createdbyilia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dreamscapes-by-ilia/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/aka_ilia
- Other: https://help-2-succeed.com/
Image Credits
© Copyright 2023 ILIA. All Rights Reserved. ILIA aka Leigh-Ann Edrich is an Internationally Published and Exhibited Artist. noai noimageai