Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leanna Hicks Carey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Leanna , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
I wish I understood sooner in life how fleeting emotions would be… We have all heard the sayings like “Happiness is a choice” or ” Happiness is found in the simple things” etc. I quickly realized that experiencing this emotion was not a passive act and I learned to dig for joy. I must admit, maybe sometimes a little too fervently. The quest for that feeling, the sense of landing on both feet, secure stable and accepted, in a stormy gorgeous chaotic world quickly became reliant upon painting. I knew I was not capable of being what others needed/wanted me to be, but I had a magic trick that might make me visible in a new light and understanding; Or, further bury me beneath mystique and riddles. I enjoy both as I cannot stand a predetermined system, such as someone providing me with a map. Of course I have moments of crippling self doubt. I find myself at times questioning whether I’m exercising my full potential, while sitting in front of a blank surface conjuring up visions day in and day out, while the enormity of life and time marches on….Am I capable of drawing my own maps? I’m quick to remember that this line of thinking is like a dog chasing its tail. All possibilities, growth, and transcendence are born from dedication, perseverance, and routine maintenance of one’s craft. Despite all challenges or questions that arise, I at least know I’m in love with my process.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I had the opportunity to try many things as a child, the typical competitive collaborative activities, etc. However, I was more concerned with beauty and my own inner dialogue in relation to the puzzle of existence. This elusive passion, (and my mother) led me to pursue fine arts training at the age of 8, and I never looked back. I attended visual & performing arts schools up until high school, and then left Louisiana to receive my Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in Memphis, Tn.
I worked at an art museum during my undergrad and for other artists for over a decade. I raised a little bit of hell and began working through a pile of baggage. All while nurturing my relationship to the muse, the edgy, ironic, wild mystery of “life”. Looking back, it feels like I had a hyper sense of tunnel vision, mixed with a buckshot mode of operation. My 20’s were intense, but that is the consensus of many creatives. After graduation I realized that my life experience had been and would be just as important (if not more) than a degree. So, I lived a little, did it for the plot, and had a glorious time transmuting my actions, consequences, losses, gain, and pain into soulful, narrative based oil paintings. And it was through that action of vulnerability and diligence that I began building my “business”. My work is a direct line of communication to the ethereal, always genuine.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
My origins keep me humble. I’m a Southern Artist, raised in the deep south…hell fire & brimstone, bible belt southern gothic type stuff. Growing up, I was rarely understood or supported in my ways of thinking, and outcast by some for my progressive ideas, dreams, and behaviors. I was born to look beyond the obvious path and pursue a personal and hard-fought spiritual evolution, which I express in the many styles my work encompasses. We as creatives, inhabit spaces where multiple truths and perspectives can exist at once. We’re driven to spend time deep within our emotions, and prioritize beauty, isolation and pleasure, in a construct that works hard to desensitize us to an imposing homogenized culture. We’re curious and intrepid! I feel “non-creatives” may have a greater fear of the unknown. a need to know or predict and control outcomes.
In contrast, my work brings breath and vision to the unknown. I excitedly dive into the void…I rely upon and thrive in that space, to un-know and redefine. My process seeks to illuminate this disassembling of reality. Now that I have made that statement, I really don’t even know if “non-creatives” exist. All my clients are so different, that’s the most amazing part of what I do. I’m sure some of them think of themselves as non-creatives but I don’t find myself viewing them that way. This question has been an intriguing one to answer, as I might be able to find the creative in anyone you sat in front of me. Everyone possesses a bit of poetry, I believe.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Great question. I had to unlearn how to isolate. This was a self protective coping skill that was necessary for a while, and it has only helped my productivity (which makes it hard to let go of). I err on the edge of being a workaholic. However, isolating does not assist in the exposure of my work, it makes you dull at a party, and friends (especially quick-witted ones) remind you to laugh & put your burdens down. I’ve learned balance is key. Every single day I am working to trust humanity and foster healthy relationships while I build my little empire.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lelecarey.bigcartel.com
- Instagram: lele.carey
Image Credits
Portrait of the artist courtesy of Marcus Menefee