Meet Leslie

I have always had a creative need to draw and paint. The beauty I see in the little things in life inspire me to incorporate that in my art. I love adding all of the little details, colors and textures and finding what is special in my subject to capture in the final design.

All of my life I've had a pencil or a paintbrush in my hand...creating has always been a part of who I am. I grew up in a very creative and encouraging atmosphere where I learned to use a variety of different mediums. I also had innovative and talented professors in college who taught me the foundational skills I still use in my work today.

When I was 8 years old I took a weekly watercolor class with a local Master Artist, Roger Haas. He was hesitant to include me in the class because of my age, but after the first class, he told my mother that I was a natural watercolor artist. Over the years I have experimented with every medium possible, and while I still occasionally paint with oils or draw with colored pencils, my love of watercolor remains. I love the versatility, translucent colors and the unpredictable magic of watercolor.

I am a visual artist, illustrator, surface pattern designer, product designer and teacher. I have a Fine Art degree from the University of Dayton and a 20+ year track record creating  and producing top-selling products for the infant and home furnishings industry as well as gift, wall art, tabletop and decor categories.

Today I am a licensed artist with Wild Apple Graphics, Fine Art Publisher and Licensor, creating art for wall decor and licensed products. I enjoy working in my home studio (along with my studio pup Kona) pulling from all the experiences to create my unique style. I love to experiment and see how I can push the limits to see what combination of tools and images I can use together to get a different outcome. I rely on my fine art foundation and drawing skills as a base, then make it contemporary and current using techniques and technology. I will never stop creating, learning and growing as an artist!

Leslie