We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Lee Sanders recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica Lee, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My most meaningful project was a portrait of a woman who had recently passed away. The son reached out asking if I could draw his mother. I knew how important this commission was to the man, so I wanted to do the best job possible to really capture his mother. In the end, he had tears in his eyes and thanked me profusely so I know he was very pleased. When there is sentimental value in commissions, I try to capture the presence and emotion of the person.

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

I’ve always been interested in art, but never considered myself an “artist” until I was about 26. I took a couple of classes in high school and I remember the moment my teacher suggested I start preparing a portfolio for college.

“Oh, I’m not going to school for fine art,” I recall saying these words with some regret.

My teacher was surprised. I ended up with a B.S. in Communications, Management & Design at Ithaca College in an adorable little hippie town in Upstate New York, only 2 hours from my hometown of Rome, NY. In college, I took a few fine art classes (Intro to Drawing, Intro to Oil Painting, 2d Design.) These were the only classes I remember from college. I had zero interest in the business/management classes nor the graphic design classes. The fine art building was where I longed to be, but I suppressed the urge to change majors. I remember the exact moment I realized how important art was to me: my elderly oil painting teacher from Brooklyn was retiring and I sobbed in the parking lot.

Pathetic, yes, but this professor guided me through my first and only oil painting class and my final still life painting still stuns me today. I had no idea I was capable of creating this type of work, and this professor showed me that it was possible. After graduating from Ithaca College, I moved to LA like a typical 22-year-old. I was seeking adventure and wanted to live in a city filled with art and music. Plus, all my friends were moving. After walking out of an assistant job at a voice over agency after only 2 weeks, I knew a normal 9-5 office job was not for me. I ended up emailing every art studio inquiring if they were hiring. I had one response from a lovely woman named Linda Wehrli, who is the instructor/founder of the art studio in Sherman Oaks called Pastimes for Lifetime.

I started working part-time, and as our clientele/business grew, I became the studio manager. Through all this, I had continued drawing & painting and studying from the old masters such as John Singer Sargent, Joaquín Sorolla, Rembrandt, etc. Part of my job at the studio is to research and interview modern-day masters as well. I became enthralled with the works of John Brosio, Casey Baugh, Adam Vinson, etc. I was lucky enough to interview and meet a couple of these modern-day masters. Ever since I have been studying their techniques and continuing to grow as an artist. I also take commissions on the side when I’m not working on my personal artwork.

Two years ago, I moved to Asheville, NC, working remotely for Pastimes and curating for Citron Gallery in Downtown Asheville on the side. It has been a wonderful experience living in such a vibrant art community.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

So many things inspire my creative journey! But if I had to narrow it down, I would say true, raw emotion. When people approach me and say that they can sense what the person in my painting or drawing is feeling, I know that I have succeeded. Many times, people are resistant to share how they are truly feeling. I aim to evoke that emotion through my work. Traveling, meeting new people, and exploring different environments & cultures inspire me to become a better artist.

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

For me, the most rewarding aspect is the feeling of getting lost in the work. When you get into the ‘flow state”, I feel so alive. Even if my work is never seen by anyone, it’s the feeling of creating that is the most rewarding part of it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jessicaleesanders.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaleesandersart/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaLeeSandersArt/