Featured Artist: Lesley Powell!

*Illumination* by Lesley Powell 16×12″ Oil

Lesley Powell – Illumination is a wonderful “wow” painting, isn’t it? The pop of light on the hydrangea bloom against the dark background is stunning, and always captures my attention. Often times I notice I’ve select a painting to feature that has a dark background, which makes the light pop (as they say).

In addition to the contrast, I love the shapes (after all, everything is a shape and paintings seem to turn out better when you aren’t painting a “thing”, but painting the shapes you see). Lesley has many gorgeous paintings.

I LOVE Lesley’s Journal. You can tell by her (interesting!) words, she is a dedicated and very knowledgable artist. Her interest is contagious. She makes me want to learn more. Please check it out, if you’re an artist especially (but not only for artists!) – it’s spectacular!

See more of Lesley’s work via these links:

Website | Instagram | Journal

BIO (via artist’s website):

My approach to painting is to use simple but interesting shapes, as well as true to life color relationships, to convey the essence of the subject. I prefer to paint on location, where the entire experience of the scene can inform my work. Painting en plein air is full of challenges, such as fast-changing light and weather conditions, which require a hundred decisions in the space of a few hours. I believe that these challenges actually elevate my work. They force me to grasp the single most compelling aspect of the scene, which then becomes the heart of the painting.

I sometimes say that painting on location is like racing in the Kentucky Derby, and painting in the studio to going on a leisurely trail ride. Although they are vastly different, each has its place. For example, a painter on location is usually limited to a smaller canvas. To achieve a larger scale, I often paint a small study on location, which I bring home to my studio as a springboard for further work. Supplementing the field studies with reference notes, sketches, visual memories, and photos taken on location, I can create larger works that retain the energy and immediacy of the field work.

To read more about my current inspirations and works, check out my weekly updates here.