Save the party date and find out what happened in Paris

 

“Travel is rich with learning opportunities, and the ultimate sourvenir is a broader perspective.”
― Rick Steves

 

Painting for two weeks at the NG Arts Creative Residency was a dream come true!

 

I’ll give you all the juicy details of my incredible month in France after you mark your calendar for the

Wild Cherry Halloween pARTy
October 26th, from 7pm till 11pm

Come celebrate with me, have a drink and a snack, and preview the work I created in France before the Studio Tour the following week. I’ll play a short set with my band, The Love Drops. A prize will be given for the best costume. It will be spooktacular. RSVP HERE for the rest of the info! It’s going to be so fun!

 

Sandra Charlap and I getting our drink on before our overnight flight to Paris.

 

Newark Airport was a great place to start my adventure and this epic tale. It’s a mere 20 minutes from my house. I headed out with the amazing artist Sandra Charlap to board our Premium Class French Bee flight to Paris. Oooh La La! I packed all my canvases in my large suitcase, with all my clothes nestled between them, popped in an Apple Airtag, and crossed my fingers that I’d see everything in Paris.

Arriving in Orly on Thursday, September 28th, went smoothly. Sandra and I, with the help of my longtime friend and show cohort, Andi Ipaktchi, spent the next four days buying paint, large paper, and some other art materials. We spent one afternoon visiting the Vuitton Foundation. We saw the most extraordinary Elseworth Kelley show and a smaller version of the Matisse show, “The Red Studio,” that I saw at MOMA last year. Sandra and I were on a mission and marched to the Sennelier shop, Chauvin, a Pearl Paint-esque art supply shop, and ultimately bought most of our materials at BVH, the giant French department store in Les Marais. You can buy your paint, canvas, wine, cheese, furniture, evening gowns, lingerie, makeup, and even stay the night with luxury accommodations in the penthouse hotel. The French are amazing.

Sandra and I spent a lovely evening on the left bank and stopped for a fantastic dinner with cocktails, oysters, shrimp, cockles, duck breast, roast chicken, wine, and so much fun. In fact, it was so magical and beautiful that I used the pictures I took that night at Les Antiquaires for all my inspiration at the artist residency. Here are a few of those pictures:

The High-speed train whisked us from Paris to Provence in two and a half hours to The NG Arts Creative Residency. Tucked away in a rural setting on private grounds, the Residency is a perfectly restored 17th-century olive mill steps from the picturesque village of Maussane. The homestead is enchanting, the studio is spacious and filled with possibilities, and the gardens are magical and inspiring. I just stepped into a Merchant Ivory film! Our lovely host, Nicky Ginsberg, filled the giant cook’s kitchen with a bounty of beautiful fruits and fresh vegetables. Gorgeous copper pots and terracotta bakeware were readily available for our cooking needs. We took short trips to the different markets and sampled the tastes and treasures of the region. The wine was flowing for lunch and dinner. I drank more delicious rosé that month than I had in my entire life! It was a total immersion in the wonders of Provence.  

The time spent painting was a joy. I was showing up to the easel with inspiration flowing like the wine at my previous meal, totally in the zone. Pushing myself to try something new, I accomplished what I had set out to do with relative ease. Although oysters are a magical, beautiful, and delicious delight, they offer some challenges when trying to capture them visually. After two weeks, I had figured it out.

Leaving the Residency I carried not only a new body of work but also a wealth of inspiration and newly forged relationships. This chapter of my artistic journey served as a reminder of the transformative power of art and community, encouraging me to embrace new challenges and opportunities ahead. I’m forever changed and endlessly grateful.

Tune in next time when I'll tell you all about my show!

Love,
Leslie

 

Did you know, if you had fun you won?

 

“Having fun is not a diversion from a successful life; it is the pathway to it.”
— Martha N. Beck

 

Start the year with a splash of Wild Cherry Art. You’ve already won, because it’s fun!

 

Happy New Year! 2024 is looking brighter than ever. We are already heading out of the darkness and back into the light. Day by day, we get a few more minutes of sunshine. I hope your holidays were filled with love and laughter, and now you're all refreshed and revved up for a spectacular year!

 

Here I’m having brunch at Antoine’s, the oldest family-run business in the United States, nestled in the French Quarter. If you haven’t been, you need to eat here. Before you go to NOLA, hit me up and I’ll give you a list for everything!

 

I've got plans to head back to New Orleans in January. You know it's one of my all-time favorite cities. The magic of NOLA is palpable. Visiting the Big Easy always feels like a recharge. Meet me there, and we'll get oysters! I'll gather more inspo for paintings and new original music. It's effortless to be excited and inspired by the incredible southern hospitality mixed with decadent food, fantastic live music everywhere, steamy weather, go cups, European architecture, fascinating history, and bars that never close. It's SO fun!

 

Let’s have more fun this year! In 2023 I had lotsa fun at a wooden shoe factory in Holland.

 

That's my word for the year—FUN! If it doesn't feel a smidge fun, I have difficulty even getting started. I believe fun is the secret sauce that helps us accomplish more, with ease and joy. So maybe when you're feeling stuck this year, try a more playful approach to your challenges. A childlike perspective can restore wonder to your problems and hope for the outcome. Don't forget—"If you had fun, you won!"

If you need more ways to add fun to your life, visit me in the studio, and I'll help you get the party started!

Wishing you and yours an abundance of blissful blessings and loads of fun in 2024.

Love,
Leslie
xo

 

How to embrace life's delights while dealing with the challenges

 

“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.”
– Dr. Seuss

 

Day one of fun with my girl on our trip to the Pacific Northwest!

 

My cup is so full it's overflowing! Get this: I offered to take my daughter anywhere she wanted to go as a present for graduating high school, and she said, "Why would I want to go anywhere with you? That would be weird." When she graduated college this year, I courageously asked again, and she said yes! We went to Vancouver, Victoria, and Seattle and had the best time! We walked over 100,000 steps, went to the aquarium, ate oysters, drank cocktails, visited museums, went to the Bumbershoot music festival, stayed in two hotels that the Beatles stayed in, saw dahlias bigger than our heads, ferried around the Pacific Northwest, swam, met with friends, made new friends, and had so much fun together. The morning we returned, she walked toward me, and I was uncertain, but she hugged me, thanked me, and went to bed. I nearly fell over from the weight of my heart, growing three sizes!

 

In Seattle we stayed at the Edgewater Hotel where the Beatles famously had a picture taken where they were fishing out their window. Edgewater doesn’t let you rent fishing equipment any longer but they do let you borrow a guitar!

 

I'm gratefully embracing a deeper connection with my daughter, but I am still preoccupied with my mother's health and care. Life's challenges can get us into a dark place so quickly. It is the nature of our mind in service to our survival instinct. Now, that tendency mostly gets in the way of our joy. I've learned to accept and deal with the challenges as best I can, focus on life's delights, and lean into the fun stuff! We get to choose.

Lean into the fun with me at my preview pARTy for the SOMA Artists Studio Tour! It's the Tour's 20th Anniversary, and it will be sensational. Save the dates and be part of the fun!

Wild Cherry pARTy
(Exclusive to my A-Listers)
Saturday, October 28, 2023
7pm — 11pm
I’ll be performing new songs with a live band, new artwork, new friends, yummy snacks, delicious drinks, a guaranteed good time! Costumes encouraged not required. There will be prizes!
RSVP now by clicking the cherry red button above to reserve your spot!

 
 

SOMA Artists Studio Tour
Saturday & Sunday 11am - 5pm
November 4th & 5th
Stop by my studio on Warren Court and see me first!
Then, see how the magic happens as more than 70 artists in two towns welcome visitors to their studios.




 

Pursue your passion and see everything fall into place with ease.

 

“ Pursue your passion, and everything else will fall into place.
This is not being romantic. This is the highest order of pragmatism.”
– Gabby Giffords

Performing at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, my old stomping ground!

You haven't seen me painting lately because, behind the scenes, I'm in full swing getting ready for my big trip as well as recording nine new original songs. Music is another one of my lifelong passions. Combining art and music at my events creates a more connective experience. I recorded the vocals with Tim Welch at Sound Underground in South Orange last week. It's so exciting to create things from ideas to fruition. Bringing things to life by co-creating with the universe is one of our main reasons for existing.

 

Me with Tim Welch. If you want to find your voice Tim is your man. Check him out at Tim Welch Vocal Studio.

 

Tim Welch is a musical genius—a cross between Willy Wonka and Mr. Holland from "Mr. Holland's Opus," but cooler and weirder. He's been my voice teacher/vocal coach and ‘brother from another mother’ for over a decade. He’s the wind beneath my musical wings. My band consists of my dear friend Glenn Healy on drums, Philip Cohen on bass, and Stuart Klinger on guitar. These guys are legendary, and I am so grateful to have them all helping me with this project. If you have anything that you want to accomplish in your life, get a team of experts or mentors who have done what you're trying to do and soak up as much of their knowledge as you can! Then get them to be in your band!

I am working on the final elements of the recording before all the tracks get mixed and mastered. I'll share bits and pieces as previews along the way to the big listening pARTy coming this Autumn, when I'll present a new series of paintings based on the new songs.

 
 

My songs, like my paintings, are filled with positive and uplifting concepts. You might laugh or cry, but you're sure to be entertained. I want to help you feel more. Mostly more good stuff, but feeling and being connected is the goal. Music and art provide opportunities to tap into our emotions and change us vibrationally. My goal is to raise your vibration. Come to my studio, and I'll do it! There's so much magic to make. Come to my pARTy, and we'll make some together!

Next week at this time I’ll be trekking around Iceland, before heading to Spain and finally Holland. If you want to see my adventures along the way, be sure to follow me on Instagram or Facebook. Let’s meet in person to catch up when I get back!

Sending you loads of love from near and far,
Leslie
xo

 

Take an amazing trip and gain the best experiences points

 
 

"You must go on adventures to find out where you belong."
—Sue Fitzmaurice

Sitting high on top of Buda overlooking the Danube in Budapest. I started traveling last year and I can’t wait to hit the road again.

 

After ten years of raising my children alone it was time to hit the road. My daughter started college in the fall of 2019, and my son headed out to California at the beginning of March 2020. A week later, I was going on a bucket list trip starting in Iceland that Covid squashed. Three years later I'm thrilled to be planning this exciting expedition again! First stop Iceland, where I'll make a date with a guide named Thor, who'll take me into the wilderness during the new moon in search of the Aurora Borealis. Then a week in Spain, driving from Barcelona to Valencia, and then to Holland in time for the tulips. I'm so excited. I've waited decades for this experience. If you have any tips please share with me!

 

My artist friend, Andi, and I took the train from Paris to Chartres to walk the Labyrinth. Ask me about my surprising mystical experience next time we’re together!

 

Traveling is magical. It expands our perspective and introduces us to new cultures, customs, people, architecture, languages, climates, land formations, and food. We can't help but grow into greater versions of ourselves. We gain compassion and connectedness for and with people we would never have known. I take thousands of pictures to use as reference. All the spectacular scenery inspires my artwork.

I had the most amazing trip last year, spending a week visiting friends in Paris, then five days visiting my daughter in Prague, then traveling through Salzburg, Vienna, and Budapest. I learned a lot by planning that trip, and I nailed it! My friend Freya helped me plan and joined me in Prague through the end of the excursion. Since it was so successful, I'm sharing some wisdom with you for designing one of your bucket list trips. Do the research. Lots of research and collect a list of great restaurants, nightclubs, music venues, cocktail bars, places to get great oysters, cool boutique hotels, museums, hot neighborhoods, good shopping, hikes, day trips, natural wonders, etc. Freya and I used an app called TripMaster, an excellent tool for planning a multi-destination adventure. Ask all your friends for recommendations. Do this in advance to protect your valuable vacation time from having to look things up on your phone.

Here are SEVEN tips for booking a fantastic vacation:

  1. Roll with the punches. Not everything will go as planned; sometimes, that's where the most remarkable magic happens.

  2. Make reservations for transportation and lodging as soon as it becomes available. Trip Master is great for this, allowing detailed views of every available hotel in any location.

  3. Plan one thing a day; a boat ride to orient yourself when you first arrive, a class, a museum visit, or a garden visit, and a dinner reservation for most evenings. 

  4. Learn the local greetings and simple phrases like; thank you, where's the bathroom, how much is this, do you have it in pink, and check, please.

  5. Find the best season or time of year to go to your destination. I prefer off-peak most of the time. Places are less crowded so it's more pleasant, and you can get reservations and tickets more easily. 

  6. Pack comfortable shoes. You can get cool ones from Sorel or get insoles. You are going to walk a lot! Wearing comfortable shoes can make the entire experience more enjoyable or miserable. You get to choose!

  7. Make sure to splurge on a few things like seat upgrades on airlines or trains, one or two nights in a luxury hotel, a Michelin-star restaurant, etc. There's a reason they get the star. You want to experience it. You only live once, and you can't take it with you. 

 

Freya and I sipping a Kir Royal and enjoying a scrumptious dinner in Salzburg, Austria after a hectic day of traveling.

 

Be present, be curious, have fun, relax, and enjoy the ride. It's a beautiful world out there. So gain some amazing experience points and have an adventure!

Travel safe, happy trails,
Love,
Leslie

 

How many steps does it take to build an amazing life?

 

“Moving forward requires letting go of the old story and stepping into new possibiities”
—Dawn Nargi

 
 
 

Dawn Nargi, Co-Founder of the WConnection, and I ran the first “Step Out” for the organization. It was our way of meeting with some of our members in person during the pandemic. Dawn is pictured in the back row on the right side, with her gorgeous smile and white WConnection t-shirt.

 

I learned how short life is when my husband died. I was 48 years old. I was overmedicated and wallowing in grief, literally on the floor for three years. The functioning part of me was devoted to taking care of my children. Otherwise, I was in darkness. I felt hopeless. I finally found my way by getting on a spiritual path and asking for and receiving help. I dug deep. I had to go to the bottom of the well before finding my way back up and out. I had all but given up. But somehow, I persevered. I slowly took steps to get back into the light. I made it. I have a very healthy respect for the contrast, but baby, I embrace that light. 

I’ve learned that to embrace the light, you must follow your dreams. Otherwise, you're just phoning in this life. You're here for a reason, so get to it! Again, I suggest that you read "The Big Leap" by Gay Hendricks, if you haven't yet, and then read "The Four Agreements," by Don Miguel Ruiz. If you don't know them, they are:

  • Be Impeccable With Your Word.

  • Don't Take Anything Personally.

  • Don't Make Assumptions.

  • Always Do Your Best.

The WConnection is a national non-profit of widows helping widows take steps to rebuild their lives after the life-changing event of losing a spouse. For the rest of 2022, a portion of the proceeds of every sale of Wild Cherry Art will go to the WConnection.

When you live this way, the authentic you shines. When this happens, you're tapping into your mojo. My mojo took a little dip this year because, you know, life. But I am beyond grateful to be living the dream. I'm painting and serving my fantastic collectors, participating in shows, hosting events, writing music, traveling, volunteering, enjoying time with friends and family, and I'm dating. Life is really magical. If I can get to this place, you can too. 

Seriously, this is your chance. Whatever you're waiting to do, figure out how to do it now. Start small, make a list, just take a few steps and get going. Being consistent and tracking your progress is the way to get there. Help helps. When you feel filled with joy and passion you're on the right path. Find ease in everything. Surrender. Connect. Do it with integrity and help others. Be the light. The world needs it. 

 

Visit me at 36 Warren Court, South Orange, during the Tour and see 5 other artists on my block!

 

Come visit me at the 19th Annual SOMA Artists Studio Tour to see me living my best life. November 5th and 6th. It's back in full force. More artists than ever before. It's going to be sensational, and I'll be setting up inside the studio, which I'm thrilled about. I'm looking forward to showing you what's new!

 

This one will be completed for the tour. Come see it in person and catch up!

 

Mark your calendar, as soon as you're done reading, for the Wild Cherry Art Holiday pARTy on November 19. If you've been before, you know the deal. Art, live band, food, drinks, FUN!!! It's going to be slamming!

Now order those books, take those steps, join me on this amazing adventure. 

I love you,
Leslie





 

Life's amazing adventures have me inspired to be back in the studio

“The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”
― Oprah Winfrey

 
 
Pretty woman with long blonde curly hair standing in front of a marina and a brilliant blue sky.

Standing in front of The Lake House in Canandiagua in August. Waiting for the wedding to begin

 

What a whirlwind summer I had. And all of a sudden, it's Autumn! My adventures give me loads of fodder for paintings. I'm sure your adventures would make beautiful paintings too. The best news is my mother has settled back into her home after a lengthy hospital stay. It's been a long road, and she still has far to go, but things look very hopeful. She has been steadily improving. I greatly appreciate the outpouring of love and support.

 

I couldn’t resist the big chair in downtown Canandaigua.

 

I spent several days in August on Lake Canandaigua attending the wedding of a dear friend's son: Friday night–French food and cocktails, Saturday –wedding, Sunday–brunch, and a day on the lake with friends. It was gorgeous, and the weather was spectacular. It was an honor to celebrate this beautiful couple. One of the biggest joys in life is celebrating milestones with friends and family. So I'm inspired to create paintings of the centerpieces from the weddings I attended this year. A personalized painting of the wedding flowers allows the couple and family to maintain a deep visual cord to one of the most joyful days in their lives. How special is that?

Any of these pictures I took, will make a meaningful and beautiful painting when I personalize it with loving words specific specific to the happy couple.

On the way home from Upstate New York, I stopped in Ithaca for a few days to visit my beautiful daughter, who is starting her senior year at Ithaca College. She has had one of the strangest college experiences ever. Covid started during her freshmen year. I'm so grateful that she still got to go abroad for her junior year. And I was so fortunate to visit her in Prague. Next Summer, she'll complete her major requirements in Los Angeles. She has thrived during this unprecedented time, and I'm so proud of the resourceful, resilient, ethical, inspiring, and beautiful person she has become.

 

Adison and I had a lovely dinner and drinks in downtown Ithaca.

 

I spent a week in Montauk with my dear friend Lucille. We lay on the beach while sipping cocktails and watching whales frolic in the sea. We ate lobster at Duryea's and Ice cream at John's Drive-In. It was just the magical week I needed to connect me to the beauty of nature. While I lounged under the umbrella, I finished reading "The Big Leap" by Gay Hendricks. Read it!

 

There is no better way to finish a day in Montauk than enjoying oysters and a Lobster dinner at Duryeas’s as the sun sets on “The End” of Long Island.

 

In the last week of summer, I traveled back to Provincetown. I visited last year with the same group of friends, and we had such a wonderful time we repeated it! Our days were spent exploring shops and galleries and eating some of the best and freshest oysters anywhere.

 

I’m having so much fun collecting images of oysters for an upcoming series of paintings. These particular mollusks are from Cape Cod and they were exquisite.

 

Life is for living, and I try to do that fully every day. My adventures provide lots of meaningful imagery for me to paint. I'm sure your adventures do the same for you and your friends and family. I would love to turn your favorite experience into a beautiful painting that celebrates that moment forever. I'm accepting commissions for the holidays now. I want to have plenty of time to give it the attention it deserves, so let's do a 15-minute complimentary discovery call right away and get this party started!






 

I'll share with you, how to get your mojo working right now.

 

“‘Mojo’ refers to your self-confidence, self-esteem, self-efficacy, or even sex appeal.”
–Dr. Evil–Austin Powers

 
 
 

It’s framed under glass so extra care is required when shipping this piece”The Bavarian Alps” to its new home. Look for a limited edition print of this one coming to the shop prints page soon.

 

I feel like I lost my mojo. I've fallen off social media. I don't feel like I'm progressing in other areas of my life either. Am I being too critical or am I doing enough? I know when I feel like this, it's a good time to stop and evaluate everything that's going on and everything I want to manifest. So here goes:

  1. Help mom

  2. Pieces in two different Studio Montclair shows, Viewpoints & the Critique Group Exhibit.

  3. Quarantine till June 28th as per CDC guidelines for exposure to Covid19

  4. Deliver Prints to interior designer Alicja Crosby Interiors

  5. Ship glass framed piece out of state.

  6. Work on commissions

  7. Create work and prepare for the upcoming show at the West Orange Arts Council.

  8. Attend an overnight wedding in Brooklyn

  9. Three bathrooms and my closet are being renovated, so the house is in chaos

  10. Sleep in the attic with belongings during bathroom and closet renovations.

  11. Volunteer for WConnection

  12. Weekly voice lesson with Tim Welch Vocal Studio

  13. Work on rough cuts of songs for the new EP

  14. Attend Yoga retreat at Menla

  15. Prepare for a week in the Fingerlakes to attend another wedding and visit Adison

  16. Meet regularly with the SOMA Studio Tour Planning Committee

  17. Practice self-care

  18. Socialize

  19. Date/put myself out there

  20. Create art

  21. Publish my biweekly blog

  22. Plan Fall events

  23. Sleep

 

Last time I posted was SIX days ago! I’ve worked a lot on my social media presence. It’s time to recommit.

 

And now I'm supposed to do social media posts? Oy vey! When I break it down it looks like so much. I know your list looks like mine. Seeing it like this helps provide clarity. We've got a lot to do, and we're doing great. I encourage you to make your list and take better care of yourself. If we practice self-care and sleep more, everything on that list gets easier. So the answer always seems to be more love for ourselves and others. Give, accept, and spread more love. Ask yourself at every step. "what is the more loving thing to do or say?" And throw lots of gratitude in the mix for being here in the first place and for having so many amazing people in our lives and wonderful challenges to conquer. I also urge you to have more fun. Since you're on this wild journey in the first place; enjoy the ride! 

 

A glimpse of the sparkly sconces in my newly renovated bathroom.

 

Come for a visit and a cool drink on my porch this Summer. As soon as the reno is over, I'll give you a studio tour and play you a song if you like, and I can even show you my new bathrooms! You'll see, I got my mojo working just fine. 

Keep cool and carry on!
Love,
Leslie
xo

 

How do you turn Chaos into a blessing? I'll show you.

 
 

“If chaos is a necessary step in the organization of one's universe, then I was well on my way.”
― Wendelin Van Draanen

 
 
Acrylic painting of a landscape. A dramatic row of trees in green and purple.

This is a row of trees in Château de Villandry, just outside of Paris. I took a thousand photos of the picturesque gardens a few years ago. Many of the photos will become paintings like this one.

The house is under renovation. Three bathrooms were leaking simultaneously, so I just went for it. The job should be finished by now, and it isn't. I am grateful for such a wonderful "problem." Mom is still in rehab, but she's beginning to improve. She is getting the best care. So I count that as a blessing too.

Next week my son, Coltrane, and my friend, John, will be running things at home because I'll be waking up on the Left Bank, getting ready to spend the day with my artist pals in Paris. I've been planning this trip for a while. My Google sheet is chock full of outings and restaurant reservations. The first stop will be at the Sennelier shop to pick up some art supplies. Then, I'll dine at the Eiffel Tower, sniff Monet's waterlilies, drink wine, and eat oysters. It'll be a heavenly week in the city of light.

A young pretty blonde punky woman with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

I spent my 21st birthday in Paris. I believe this photo was taken after I insisted that my friend, Raffaele, and I walk up the steps of the Arc de Triumphe to avoid the line. She refuse to walk the steps of the Eiffel Tower!

After a week in Paris, I'll visit my daughter, Adison, in Prague. She's living her best life while studying abroad this semester. She's looking forward to showing me around, which has me more excited than anything! After Prague, I have another gal pal joining me as we venture to the land with the Sound of Music, Salzburg, then to beautiful Vienna, and finally Budapest. Nineteen days of adventure will produce loads of pictures to inspire future works of art.

Lovely young woman sitting on a stone ledge with a beautiful Italian landscape in the background

Adison is enjoying her time, traveling and studying abroad. I'm so excited to hear about her adventures.

Starting next Tuesday you can follow my travel adventures on FaceBook and Instagram, by clicking the icons above. Follow my artist pals by clicking on their names and get their perspectives:

Marina Bosetti @bosetti_art_tile
Andi Ipaktchi @andiipaktchi
Louisa MacCabe @louisamccabeart

The week I get back, I'll be co-organizing and participating in the Warren Court Art Walk. Come by and hear about my European whirlwind and see what's been brewing in the studio. It will be a fantastic weekend of art, music, and community.

I am so grateful to live this miraculous life and be able to do work that I love. I can renovate bathrooms, take vacations, explore my creativity and celebrate with loved ones. I have my health. I have so much. I have you.

Thanks for being on the journey with me—the ups and downs, the pits, stems and sweet delicious fruit. Life is a bowl of cherries!

Love you,
Leslie
xo


 
 

Find Out How To Conquer Difficult Times By Embracing Passion.

 
 

“There’s no better exercise for strengthening the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”
—Woman’s Home Companion (May 1954)

 
 

This is Ellie, my beautiful mother. She is the most kind and generous person I know. A gift.

 

Hi! I'm Leslie, a fine artist & owner of Wild Cherry Art. I'm on a mission to cultivate joy through art, music, and living in the spirit of appreciation. I've been off social media because my beautiful mother has taken ill, and I've been at her bedside. I’m praying that she makes a full recovery. Now she's in rehab where the visiting hours are much shorter. So, I'm back in the studio in the mornings, painting from pictures of my last trip to France. I'm returning to France at the end of April, and I will be painting all along the way. I'm so excited to be traveling again and experiencing new unforgettable adventures in this great big wonderful world. I've missed a couple of weeks with the blog, so I'm reintroducing myself to you with @JoanneHawker s #MarchMeetTheMakers challenge. You can follow my progress with the challenge on Instagram and Facebook. Come see me and my completed France Series, in person, at the Warren Court Art Walk on May 21st and 22nd.

 

“Poppies on Omaha” 18 x 18 inches acrylic on gallery wrapped archival canvas. Available for immediate purchase for delivery the week of May 22nd. Last time i visited France, I rented a car and drove through the countryside in search of beautiful vistas. I could do a thousand paintings, there was so much beauty.

 

March Meet The Makers Challenge

Day 1, You and Your Work:

At 7 years old, I painted with oils and played the piano. While other kids were partying in high school, I was home painting, drawing, and playing the piano. Also sneaking into the Fastlane in Asbury Park to see live bands. I wanted to be a painter and a rockstar when I grew up.

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 multiple prestigious design firms, and held art director positions at major publishing houses. I've won awards for excellence in graphic design and illustration, working for top-shelf clientele. While living and working in NYC, I performed with my band Boom Box Barbie at CBGBs, Mercury Lounge, Brownies, and other well-known venues.

With my husband's sudden and untimely death in 2012, I abruptly became a single parent of two young children. Re-evaluating my purpose, I embarked on a journey of healing. My commitment to following my dreams strengthened. I had seen how fleeting life can be firsthand. It was time to get back to painting, music, and fulfilling that dream. I realized that I had been given a gift that I must share.

 

This is my beautiful friend and collector, Theresa with her Wild Cherry Art, “Sexy Sadie.” I love that this painting connects Theresa to her powerful and creative feminine spirit. “Sexy Sadie” was the first painting in the Inner Beings Series.

 

Now I use decades of painting, drawing, graphic design, music-making, and spiritual practices to inform my artistic process to delight and inspire you with exciting, vibrant works of art and song. My goal is to elevate the world's vibration through a joyful, divinely inspired journey, one painting at a time accompanied by an original soundtrack.

 

My art and spiritual practice along with some new blood pressure medication helps me when life delivers a new challenge.

 

Following my dreams has allowed me to maintain a sense of playful revelry in my approach to life. When you follow your heart, life is filled with meaning. It helps, when life presents its challenges, to spend your days doing something you love. 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 following your heart. Life is a bowl of cherries, enjoy all the good stuff and spit out the pits!

Sending you, and mom, loads of love and appreciation,
Leslie
xo

 

Do you need to know, like, and trust someone before you sleep with them?

 

"A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love."
—Mother Teresa

 
 
 

“Return To Love” This is the commissioned series I worked on last year that created a shift in my beliefs around love. Set up a free 15 minute Discovery Call with me to discuss manifesting your vision. Discovery Call

 

My friends and family helped me through the most challenging experience of my life, losing my husband. They've also been with me to celebrate my great joys; connections, art, music, travel, and all my milestones. It has been nine and a half years since Chris is gone. Recently my peeps have been encouraging me to date.

I believed that my days of romance were behind me. Then last year, I worked on a commission for a client who wanted to manifest love. My commission process goes far deeper than putting paint on a canvas. For many weeks, I listened to guided meditations for opening to love every day before working on her pieces. A few of those days, I found myself sobbing when I experienced all the available love. I listened to love songs and love frequencies, surrounded myself with rose quartz, journaled, used essential oils, and read about love. I noticed a shift in myself after completing "Return To Love." My collector loved the process, adores her pieces, and has them hanging in a prominent space in her gorgeous apartment. I know she's experiencing more love.

 

I'm drawn to paint with pink and red. Pink represents friendship, affection, harmony, inner peace, and approachability. Both red and pink represent love. So I'm already on the right track!

 

I realized on Monday that it's been 9 years since I had a Valentine. I now think I deserve love just as much as the next guy. So I put myself on a few dating sites, and I'm putting it out there to the Universe. I'm available. And because I'm living as my authentic self, I will make decisions and take actions that support my own values. For me, this means that I'm interested in making friends first because I need to know, like, and trust someone before I sleep with them! Lol! I've been this way forever; it's how I am. I would always be the one back at the hotel on vacations when my friends would find romance for the evening. I'd often go home alone and meet my friends for brunch to hear about their evening's escapades. People often thought I was the "wildest one" because, as my son says, "Mom, why did you dress so slutty?" I wasn't slutty! I was Rock'n'roll. Anyway, there is no such thing as slutty. And while casual sex has never been my bag, I know that sexual pleasure is our birthright, and consenting adults are entitled to do whatever they want behind closed doors and sometimes discretely in public spaces. I'm all for it.

 
Beautiful blonde girl wearing a fringe bra, latex hot-pants, a bullet belt and holding a fosters beer.

This is the photo that made my son ask why I dressed so slutty!

 

So at 57, I'm on a few online dating sites. My life is already very rich and filled with so much love. When I find the right person, I hope to get invitations to dinner parties, travel, and outings again from my couple friends. It will be nice to have a companion and more physical affection. I'm open to meeting someone who will love, appreciate and respect me. Someone kind, compassionate, fun, intelligent, engaging, inspiring, open-minded, adventurous, passionate, optimistic, that I'm wildly attracted to, and we have fantastic sex. I know as long as I am being my authentic self, they will see the real me, and the people who will love me will see me from a mile away. I expect to make many new, wonderful friends and find my next greatest love.

Cheers to love, intimacy, passion and great sex!
Love,
Leslie

 

Five things you can do to shift negative thoughts to positive.

 
 

“If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more. If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough.”
—Oprah Winfrey

 
 
Acrylic painting of a vibrant fall landscape

Field of Possibilities is an acrylic painting that connects you to the powerful beauty found in nature. Connecting to nature fills you with ease and joy. This is a painting of Wightman’s farm in Morristown, New Jersey.

 

What do you want out of life? Focusing on what you want your life to be rather than what it isn’t, has the power to release a lot of negative thoughts. It shifts your thinking from stress, anxiety, sadness, worry, guilt, resentment, blame, frustration, dread, or lack to possibility, hope, ease, and happiness. 

We live in strange times, and it’s easy to get caught up in all the negativity flying around. Gaining clarity can help us shift from fear back to ease and joy. First, we must remember that negative thoughts aren’t facts. They’re just thoughts, and thoughts don’t exist outside of your mind. By accepting them as thoughts, you’re telling yourself that they’re not real and that you don’t have to act on them. That helps you to stop obsessing over them.

What else can help you release negative thoughts? Try these tips:

1. AWARENESS The best way to understand our feelings is to feel them once we’re aware of them. The first step towards changing any behavior is becoming aware of it. Acknowledge your emotions and make mental shifts over time. A meditation practice can be super helpful to become aware of your inner dialogue. 

2. TAKE CHARGE Emotions don’t just happen – they originate from thoughts, beliefs, memories, and experiences. Tell yourself a different story concerning those events if you want to change your emotional state. You get to remember things any way you want. Remember it from a positive point of view, one that uplifts or gives you hope. A belief happens when you tell it to yourself repeatedly. Tell yourself something good and create positive affirmations

3. NO JUDGEMENT Let go of judgments. It’s easy for us to judge others and ourselves. Instead of comparing yourself to your peers, list the good things about yourself and your life. Replace the negative thoughts with positive ones from your list. Think of the positive traits you or the other person may have.

4. GRATITUDE For me, the best way to move from negative thoughts to positive ones is by practicing gratitude. I use a technique called the "Gratitude Formula" from the book by May McCarthy with the same name. This helps me conquer anxiety, move through procrastination or blocks, release fear and sadness, and embrace possibility and hope. The Gratitude Formula is a practice that makes way for joy. Read about it in this article, Strengthen Your Ability To Perceive More Joy.

5. ART! Lastly, to stay in that place of gratitude, place visual reminders in your home to help you stay uplifted and inspired. Beautiful and meaningful art on your wall has the power to move you emotionally. It helps keep the focus on beauty in your world and in your life. The more you see beauty, the more beauty you’ll see, and that’ll kick negativities ass!

 

Commissioning a piece of art adds a meaningful focal point in your home to connect you to uplifting and joyful emotions. I created this piece in 2021 for my collector's stunning home.

 

How do you deal with negativity? What helps you to banish negative thoughts? Please share your tips in the comments. That way we can help each other to shine.

Stay positive and enjoy all your days, whatever comes.
Love,
Leslie

 

We can spread the love in twenty-two, me and you.

 

“My advice for life: dance and sing your song while the party is still on.”
— Rasheed Ogunla

The Wild Cherry Art Holiday Open House kicked ass, and it was all because of you. You made it a marvelous evening for Annie Issa Ceramics and me. I enjoyed singing and playing for you. It was a super fun night of getting together with friends old and new. We can't miss an opportunity to celebrate our one wild and precious life!

 
 

My original art shopping bags were a big hit, so I've reordered a limited supply. They are manufactured in England and arrived yesterday morning. Two are already spoken for, so click the link and get yours now! You can pick one up at the studio, we can share a coffee, and I'll show you around the place.

We've made it through another strange year. I'm taking time to reflect and honor all my wins and losses. This way, I can move forward with intention and hopefully experience more joy and meaning. I wish you and yours the most beautiful holiday and an abundance of blessings in 2022. Things will be new in twenty-two. Don't wait for life to come to you. Go out and get it, do it, be it! If I can do it, you can. I'll help you!

 
 

Let's spread the love in 22. Come to my events, commission a piece of art, tell your friends what a fantastic experience Wild Cherry Art delivers.