On View This Week in Idaho
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Hello Reader, One of the things I love most about being an artist is that a painting often begins in a very specific place, but once it leaves the studio it takes on a life of its own. This week, two of my paintings are on view in Idaho, each telling a different story about the places and people. The Great Escape is currently on exhibit as part of the Idaho Cowgirl Congress at the Sun Valley Museum of Art in Ketchum. The exhibition brings together women artists and makers from across Idaho for a celebration of western heritage, creativity, and craftsmanship. The event runs June 17–21 and includes exhibitions, demonstrations, workshops, and special events. The painting features a ranch manager from Mackay, Idaho, just over the mountain from Sun Valley. I was drawn not only to the strength and independence she embodies, but also to the relationship between horse, rider, and the rugged landscape they call home. To me, this piece speaks to the resilience, grit, and quiet confidence that have long defined women of the American West. At the same time, my large watercolor I Think I Shall Never See a Poem as Lovely as a Tree is on display at Premier Auto Group in Twin Falls as part of the 16th Annual Art & Soul of the Magic Valley. This community-wide celebration transforms businesses throughout the Magic Valley into temporary art galleries and invites the public to vote for their favorite artwork. The exhibition runs through June 27. This painting grew out of my love of trees and the way they quietly anchor a landscape. While The Great Escape is a portrait of a person and a way of life, I Think I Shall Never See a Poem as Lovely as a Tree is a portrait of place itself—a reminder of the beauty that surrounds us when we slow down long enough to notice. If you're visiting Sun Valley this week, I hope you'll stop by the Idaho Cowgirl Congress and see The Great Escape. And if you're in the Twin Falls area, I'd be grateful if you'd visit Premier Auto Group to see I Think I Shall Never See a Poem as Lovely as a Tree—and while you're there, don't forget to cast a vote! Thank you, as always, for following along on this journey. It means the world to know these paintings continue to find new audiences and new conversations long after they leave my studio. With paint-stained fingers, Leslie |
Watercolor 365
Dear Reader, As America celebrates its 250th birthday, I've been reflecting on all the different places I've experienced Independence Day over the years. Between Gate and Glory, 12x16", available As a child growing up in Washington, D.C., the Fourth of July was magical. We would watch the fireworks over the National Mall, and a few years we were even fortunate enough to watch from the White House lawn. Later, while living in Boston, I remember sitting along the Charles River as fireworks...
Dear Reader, The Saddle Shop, poured watercolor 16x20" As we settle into July, I thought I'd share a look back at everything that came to life in the studio during June. After a busy spring of exhibitions and travel, I returned to the cabin where I've been spending nearly every day in the studio. Surrounded by the quiet of the lake, the changing skies, and long summer days, I've been able to immerse myself in painting again—and it has been exactly what my creative spirit needed. June's work...
Hello Reader, Last week, I wrote about the faces we remember and how the features that make us unique are often the very things that deviate from the "ideal." This week, my portrait students and I are painting a young girl. At first glance, you might think a young face would be easier to paint. After all, there are no deep wrinkles, laugh lines, weathered skin, or years of life etched into the face. The skin is smooth. The transitions are soft. The features are delicate. But in many ways,...