We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Leslie Anne a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Leslie Anne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

As a creative, I express myself in many ways. This usually manifests as paintings, drawings, photography, and digital artwork. I don’t limit my creative expression. It’s all art to me. As a self taught artist, my painting skills have progressed and improved naturally over the years. I have studied famous artists and contemporary artists and am constantly inspired, which pushes me as an artist. My practice is experiemental, curious, and self-reflective. I create art to convey certain concepts and encapsulate times in my life, but it is first and foremost, an emotional expression.

I felt the urge to start making digital art in 2020, when having to be home a lot more because of the pandemic. I bought an iPad Pro and started teaching myself how to use an art app called Procreate. I sped up the process of learning digital art apps by watching video tutorials on Youtube and Skillshare. Learning from more experienced artists gave me a lot of tips that I may not have ever figured out on my own. It helps my process to be more efficient and has given me the skills to produce work at a professional level. It’s important to use what you have and learn from people that have already done what you are trying to do.

Leslie Anne, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Leslie Anne and my business is Studio Leslie Anne, LLC. I am a contemporary artist based in Atlanta, Georgia by way of East St. Louis, Illinois. My artwork is emotionally expressive, colorful, and Afrofuturistic. My art is inspired by prominent themes in my life like personal growth, family, relationships, and personal expression. I use bold contrasting elements to create mixed media works with depth; usually featuring bright colors, gold leaf, glitter, and elements of the sky like clouds and stars. By looking at the art, my hope is that you will find a sense of interconnectedness with all and pride in Blackness. And ultimately explore more of yourself. Original paintings and limited edition fine art prints are available on our website and Etsy. We also offer a variety of products (e.g. canvas prints, mugs, tote bags) in our Society 6 shop.

I am intentional about centering Black people and women in my pieces as a way to celebrate Black culture and beauty with nuance. I want to show Black people as inherently valuable and worthy, which is often why my work incorporates crowns and gold elements. My art is as much about the process as it is the physical piece, as creating art opens the space for me to explore myself. I like to create self portraits as a way to honor my feelings and memorialize that specific time in my life.

My preferred mediums are painting with acrylic and oil paint, digital collage, illustration, and photography. I specialize in contemporary portraiture, and take commissions occassionally throughout the year. My work has been featured in international publications like Vanity Fair and numerous exhibitions around the world. My latest body of work was created for my second solo exhibition “The Sun Still Shining on Me,” which opened July 2022. It’s a story of resilience and self-love.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think that society can best support creatives by being encouraging of our passions. Monetary support is essential as well. The journey as an independent artist can be difficult, as the artist is creating original art plus establishing a business. Any moral or monetary support makes a significant impact on my ability to keep my practice going. I also think it’s helpful for artists to share information with other artists, so that we can all grow.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being an artist is that I can show my children that you can be whatever you want to be in life. My 4 year old daughter recently picked up one of my paintings and said “I can’t believe my mom is an artist.” First of all, I felt so cool. But really, it made me feel proud that she was proud of me, and that she sees the value in what I create. A big part of my purpose is creating a legacy for my children, which is part of why I paint portraits of myself and them. Another rewarding aspect of being a creative is connecting with collectors and other artists. My art allows me to meet so many cool people from all over the world, and I love that.

Contact Info:

• Website: LoveLA.biz
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myleslieanne/
• Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoveLAart Society 6: https://society6.com/artistleslieanne