“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.”
–Oprah Winfrey
This is a still life I did in high school. I became very accomplished while other kids where out having fun. To me making art and making music was more fun than any party.
As a fine artist and owner of Wild Cherry Art, I’m on a mission to cultivate joy through art, music, and by living in the spirit of appreciation.
I started creating art when I was a very young child. At 7 years, I was painting in oils and playing the piano. I was only interested in things I felt passionate about. While other kids were partying in high school, I was home painting, drawing, and playing the piano. I also went to the Fastlane in Asbury Park on Friday nights to see live bands. I wanted to be a painter and a rockstar when I grew up.
This is a life size, chalk pastel, self portrait I did for my application to Parson’s School of Design.
Graduating with a BFA from Parsons School of Design set me on an exciting course. I painted dozens of murals for Betsey Johnson, worked for several prestigious design firms, and held art director positions at major publishing houses. I’ve won several awards for excellence in graphic design and illustration, working for top shelf clientele. Below is a gallery of a few samples of book jackets I’ve designed over the years.
With my husband’s sudden and untimely death, I abruptly became a single parent of two young children. I began to re-evaluate my purpose and embarked on a journey of healing. My commitment to following my dreams became even more strengthened. I had seen how fleeting life can be firsthand. It was time to get back to painting and fulfill that dream. It's never too late. The time is now! I realized that I had been given a gift that I must share. I want to help you to live a more connected better quality of life with my work. Now I use decades of painting, drawing, graphic design, and spiritual practices to inform my artistic process to delight and inspire you with exciting, vibrant works of art. My goal is to elevate the world’s vibration through a joyful, divinely inspired visual journey, one painting at a time.
"Orange You Loving These Cherries?" 30 x 30 Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas. A recent cherry painting. I’ve always got a cherry painting or two in the studio. Life is like a bowl of ‘em!
Following my dreams has allowed me to maintain a sense of playful revelry in my approach to life. I continue to make music and I don’t have to sneak into clubs anymore. I love to garden, look forward to traveling again and live each day to the fullest. When you’re following your heart, your life is filled with meaning. I hope my story and artwork inspire you to freely express your creative nature, your inner radiance, and explore your dreams and desires. It’s never too late to start. Life is a bowl of cherries, enjoy all the good parts and spit out the rest!
Love you lots,
Leslie
xo