Despite what Leigh-Anne describes as a tidal wave of exposure to art in her younger years (her father and grandfather were artists), she didn’t gravitate to art right away.

“There were many benefits to living with an artistic family. There were ongoing and interesting conversations about composition and art in general, and drawing skill was almost mandatory in our family … I enjoyed all that influence and inspiration but needed to find my own voice as an artist.”

She was accepted into the Langara Fine Arts Program, them went on to study at Emily Carr. “Even so, it took a while to find my way. I tried all the materials, experimenting with watercolours, acrylics, oils, charcoal, and every combination therein. They all have enjoyable qualities but when the ideas for paintings started brewing, especially with the bigger ones, I needed time to think because it’s the story that matters – you are expressing something to the viewer. You can draw with a burnt stick if you had to, but as I see it, the viewer has to get a sense of the story, and the mood associated with it. Oils, with their slow drying time are best for that. They give me time to think, make changes, and blend colours.”

“I love pre-study work – going out into the woods to draw, sitting on a sunny bluff, observing, noticing light and shadows, seeing textures and patterns, trying to imagine how to use those elements in my projects. My plans for painting almost always relate to the strength and drama of nature. I enjoy an architectural approach – one strong point of interest – a building, a boat, or ancient tree for example, where the focal point is like a monument challenged by nature. I also love to paint nature scenes that show no human involvement – just a slice of life in the natural world.”

Leigh-Anne has been in galleries all over the west coast, won several awards in juried competitions, and held numerous, successful, solo shows. Her paintings are in homes all over the world.