Interview by Jimon

1. Where do you call home currently? I live in sunny Southern California.

2. How long have you been making art and what lead you to start? I have been making art since I can remember, I would spend hours in my bedroom drawing, discovering and creating whatever I could. I use to pretend I had my own T.V. show making things for people, haha!

3. Did you study art or is it a gift? I studied art in England, starting out with ‘A’ Level art, Art Foundation then onto a BA in Illustration. Yes art is definitely a gift that shouldn’t be ignored.

4. It has been said art is a gift from god, to make the world a better place. What are your thoughts on that? That was my thought on the previous question, I do believe creativity is a gift from God. He created the world with His words, we are created by the creator to be creative.

5. Best advice you ever received in regards to your career as an artist? It wasn’t advice, it was a simple comment, but it made a huge impact on my life. Being a creative, I was never a high achiever in school, except art and sport. My high school art teacher noticed a small painting of Princess Diana I was working on, it had a graphical feel and he said, “oh that’s very nice, you would make a good graphic designer”. I took that to heart because no teachers ever gave me encouraging words like that. Later I became a self-taught graphic designer, when Apple computers and desktop publishing where becoming popular. I still use those skills today for my business marketing and social media.

6. How do you define success?  Finding what you love and making it your purpose and passion, then giving it back to other people, however that may be for you.

7. Do you listen to music while creating? If yes, what genre? I listen to all kinds of music depending on my mood, I don’t have one particular genre that I prefer. I like to listen to music that remind me of different time in my life, as well as current music, I also love worship music and all kinds of genres.
8. What advice would you give putative collectors?  Buy what you love.
9. How would you like to be seen as an artist years from now?  This is a difficult one! I don’t know yet, just continue to learn through my process and grow in my work.
10. Why make art? Because art inspires and gives in endless ways.
11. The future is _________? Yes the future is _________? Focus is the present.

12. Do you have a place/person/thing that you visit for inspiration?  I really like to be outside, breathing in the air, looking at nature and filling myself with this beautiful world we have been given.
13. Three things you can’t live without in your studio? Light, music, coffee!
14. Anything else you’d like to mention that I didn’t ask? To grow as an artist you have to paint, paint, paint everyday!

You can find Lesley Grainger on Instagram under LesleyGrainger