What every artist wants to hear ...

This picture, that I call "Inherent 2," has sold numerous times over the years. I'm so proud of it because it is totally unique to me. Someone else would have a tough time figuring it out and replicating it.

That's irrelevant right now, however, because of what a recent buyer wrote to me. She said:

Good afternoon!  

I just received this gorgeous piece of modern, Southwest art you created (Fine Art America did a good job of reproducing your work) and I am so grateful to have you in my home. The colors and design take my breath away every time I look at it. 

I rarely write emails of this kind, but wanted you to know how much I appreciate your talent and execution. You fit beautifully in my natural, modern living room and I will look for your work often in the future.  Thank you again for offering your work to the public.  You make me very happy.

I was stunned. Isn't this what every artist wants to hear? I'm happy my work makes her happy and am happy that she wrote me to say how happy she was!

Here's a link to the picture on Fine Art America if you'd like to see the details up close:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/inherent-number-2-carol-leigh.htmlhttps://fineartamerica.com/featured/inherent-number-2-carol-leigh.html

Image copyright ©2019 Carol Leigh

Triptychs!

If the format and subject matter lend themselves to it, I'll sometimes make a triptych, a combination of three pictures all contained in one frame. The result is a larger piece -- with more presence -- that works well on a large wall.

And that's what I created here for these three photomontages of boro paper from a kimono packet, protective paper packaging designed to keep the kimono, carefully folded inside, dust-free.

To see what these look like larger and in full resolution, here are links to them both:

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/kimono-triptych-060704-horizontal-carol-leigh.html

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/kimono-triptych-060704-vertical-carol-leigh.html

Images copyright ©2019 Carol Leigh

Recent work: "Exaggerated Eucalyptus Leaves"

The eucalyptus theme continues with this piece, where I purposely made the leaves outrageously vivid, yet kept the texture and shadowing intact. Too much fun.

Here's a link to the image at Fine Art America/Pixels if you'd like to see the image in full resolution:

https://carol-leigh.pixels.com/featured/exaggerated-eucalyptus-carol-leigh.html 

Images copyright ©2019 Carol Leigh

Recent work: "Three Eucalyptus Leaves"

Eucalyptus leaves have gotten my attention lately and appear now in a lot of my art.

What is it about them that's appealing? Well, I like their subtle colors, how each leaf is different, and their elegant shapes and curves.

In this piece (shown both as a square and full-frame) I've exaggerated the leaves and have added a handpainted paper I made.

And yes, I realize the irony of saying I like the subtle colors of the leaves, yet punched them up to make them VERY colorful!

Always nice to have options.

P.S. To see this work at full resolution, here's a link to it at Fine Art America: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/1-three-eucalyptus-leaves-carol-leigh.html

Images copyright ©Carol Leigh

Latest work: "Kimono Package Montage 08"

LATEST WORK - “Kimono Package Montage 8”

One of the latest in my series revolving around an antique kimono “packet,” which I’ve described as:

I have an 1828 wrapper for a kimono that is gloriously soft and weathered and yet sturdy. I have photographed various bits and pieces of the wrapper and then have combined those bits and pieces to create a variety of photomontages, montages that are slightly different, yet honor the spirit of the object. 

It’s made of old, used “boro paper,” multiple layers pasted together so that it’s thick and very soft. I’m reveling in what this kimono wrapping paper is offering, and I hope you enjoy seeing my interpretations of it.

Every month or so I get this packet out to see what other images I can create using it, seeing it with “new eyes.” 

The top photo shows the original version, but I also created a square version to give my customers more options.

Here's the link to the work in Fine Art America if you'd like to see it at 100% resolution: 

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/kimono-package-montage-08-carol-leigh.html

All images copyright ©2019 Carol Leigh

Customer comment . . .

Sometimes customers of my work leave reviews on Fine Art America, which I find really helpful. The reviews let me know if FAA is doing a good job at their end (printing and shipping) and if I've done a good job at my end (sharpness, processing, etc.).

Fine Art America sold this picture ("When Worlds Collide") to a customer in Minnesota recently. Here's his review:

"This is a quality piece that hangs beautifully on our wall. The frame and matting are of very good quality and we are well satisfied with the purchase. The only drawback is that we should have ordered non glare glass."

His comment about the non-glare glass is good for me to know. I'll mention that in my description on Fine Art America, and perhaps the next person to order it will be able to take that into consideration.

Here's a direct link to the picture at FAA:

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/when-worlds-collide-carol-leigh.html

Image copyright ©2019 Carol Leigh

Motivation...

Although I've been creating art for a long time, there are times (more frequent than I'd like) when I feel completely uninspired, think that I've made nothing wonderful, I'm a failure, woe is me, etc.

I can snap myself out of it by viewing what I've made over the years, and Pinterest is a great place for me to do that.

There's nothing like seeing a LOT of my art spread out on one page. I see pictures I'd forgotten I'd made. I see pictures that I distinctly remember making and I wonder why I didn't keep on making a series of THAT.

Here's a link to my work on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caroleigh2013/carol-leigh-art/

I also see how scattered and varied my work is. Other artists have a "look," a "style" about their work that makes it immediately recognizable as theirs. So I worry that I don't have a style. But just briefly.

My attention span is apparently short. I get worn down and weird(er) if I'm making something that's similar to something I've previously made.

As a result, I've learned to embrace my scattered-ness and accept that this is who I am, and why force it?

My ever-growing Pinterest board is one way for me to show my work to a larger audience. It's also how I bump myself out of artistic self-pity and rejoice in what I've made over the years.

Do YOU have a Pinterest board that features your work and only your work? If so, let me know. I'd love to go over and take a look.

Image Copyright @2019 Carol Leigh