Today we’d like to introduce you to Charity Leonard.
Charity, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’m very grateful that I was able to grow up in a creative environment alongside other artists – my own family! My two brothers work in wood and photography, my mom could write an interior design manual, and I followed most directly in my father’s footsteps with painting.
We even shared the same collegiate art class building (Richards Hall at the University of Nebraska – go Huskers). I discovered my love for painting early and have been selling it for 15 years.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I work with many mediums, but primarily watercolor, acrylic, and oil paint. Subjects include many homes in watercolor and anything under the sun in oil or acrylic. My absolute favorite type of painting has always been an oil portrait, but recently modern abstracts have been very attractive.Ultimately, I am still finding my style (always will be I think) but I enjoy few things more than the artistic process. When I really get sucked into a painting hour fly like minutes and my mind is both relaxed and engaged.
As for my business, most of my work is what I call “client-focused” fine art. They are commissions from people who already know what they want and they need an artist to execute it. This is actually a very common practice in art history. Up until about the last 100 years this is how most artists made a living (the Sistine Chapel was commissioned!). However, I feel I must justify my commissions due to pressure from the current art community to produce only personally inspired work. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly plan on and look forward to honing my personal style as I advance, I just hope other commercial artists can read this and be encouraged that their work matters and they are worthy of respect.
As far as motivation, I hope to give Jesus all the glory in whatever I do as it’s all from Him anyway. Art-making and art-viewing is particularly exciting as a Christian as whatever I take in visually can make a lasting, spiritual impression more readily.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
I would recommend artists look for fellowship with artists who have a different craft than their own. There is a basic creative connection to be shared with others and you will be inspired in new ways. I love listening to my pianist friend share her theories on holistic teaching and I know I am soaking in what she says for my own future reference.
At the same time, I think we should try to broaden the term of who an artist is. A backyard gardener is a type of artist and so a stay-at-home mom if cares about arranging raisins eyeballs on the sandwich just so.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can see my work on Instagram (charityroseart) and my website (www.charityroseart.com). You can support my work by enjoying the arts in general (take your next lunch break at an art museum) and remembering me when your interior wall looks sad and wants a new painting on it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.charityroseart.com
- Email: charityroseart@gmail.com
- Instagram: charityroseart
Image Credit:
James Hill Photography, jameshillcreative.com
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