We recently connected with Connor Legg and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Connor thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

During my last semester of undergraduate education, I had the privilege of teaming with peers to create a gallery exhibition. While we worked as a group to create an overarching theme and title for the show, we worked individually on what art we wanted to include and how we would present it. The latter is the project that comes to mind.

I pondered what ideas and elements carry throughout my work and what I want to share, or rather instill, with my audience. Those familiar with my art know I love depicting images of nature. Whether it be a vast landscape scene, or an up-close view of flora and fauna, my work centers on the natural world.

From there, I knew what I would show, but the question remained, how would I present it? Here comes the meaningful project. My artwork is a window into my mind, interpreting how I experience nature. I concluded that I wanted to explore this understanding and how I might be able to share that with others. Essentially, the gallery space would be a physical manifestation of this experience.

I turned the exhibition into an environment by including elements of nature in and around my works of art. Lichen and moss-covered branches extended from landscape paintings, oak leaves scattered on the floor underneath the resting feet of ceramic frogs, and jewels of nature, such as a wasp nest or quail egg, would be hidden throughout the space.

I found a way to orchestrate an environment that showed my experience with nature – how I perceive it. Artists often create to express emotions and ideas, so I decided to use the gallery space as an extended canvas. In the gallery exhibition, my audience was present with nature and experienced its beauty through my eyes.

Connor, 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?

Hello, everyone! My name is Connor Legg, and I am an artist and writer. Inspired by nature, I enjoy painting and sculpting animals, landscapes, and plants. It wasn’t until my time at Mesa Community College that I became interested in painting, and I fell in love with studying nature, specifically the rose garden on campus. At Arizona State University, I continued this newfound passion and explored ceramics. I strongly appreciate both mediums, individually and the spaces between.

I grew up engaged in the arts and almost always was sketching away with my imagination at play. When I was younger, my family often took camping trips, which I loved. For a child, the outdoors invites creativity, and I imagined what critters might be hiding in the forest – real or fantasy. A few of my recent works reflect this magical world-building, depicting nature’s whimsical essence and power.

These experiences as a kid truly impacted how I viewed nature and the role between it and humanity. I believe that my written and painted work are acts of humanity. I hope my artwork will teach people about nature, its beauty, and its importance to our lives. Our connection with nature needs healing, and I know my craft plays a role.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

It is not a lesson but a way of thinking I had to unlearn. I got caught up in creating the “perfect” artwork, with excellent composition, lighting, colors, and other elements. It came to the point where I felt my sketches needed to be some grand product too. That mindset set me back, producing less work and even less sketching.

In the community college and university classes I took, there were rarely lessons or moments of just the general artist’s method of sketching. I believe the repeated lack of this essential act, and from the other end, only focusing on the final product instilled a bad-tasting habit into my mind. I have since rediscovered the true freedom of sketching and art in general.

From what I’ve seen online, this is a common experience for most artists, and we unlearn something to move forward. We have come to understand it is okay to let art be fluid, on a whim taking any form. If I ever teach art as an instructor, I would do my best to normalize and validate all creation levels. I think it is beneficial to share, at least to some degree, your working process with others. There’s a shift taking place.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The community of artists is undoubtedly up there for rewarding aspects. I have the privilege of being friends with and knowing such talented people. There are those I have been following the work, and sometimes life, of for years now. It’s a community of knowledge and support. It takes a village, as they say! I am so grateful for those I have met on this journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: Connorlegg.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/azure_fire_prince?igshid=ZDdkNTZiNTM=
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/connor-legg-418072228
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AzureFirePrince?t=BPvvezF3SeMARPuRRAVyig&s=09