Leslie McCallen Gilbert
Painterly Realism in Oil
Nashville Tennessee

Creating art is a very intuitive process for me. While I am always aware and respectful of the "rules", I seldom give them conscious thought as I work. I believe too much linear thinking lessens the sense of spontaneity from the work I am creating, lending less freedom to the finished piece.

Every piece I complete is a growing experience. I find lessons in almost every element, through experimentation with brush strokes, color, the overall design... even the subject matter. So, whether or not the finished work is a successful piece that I would exhibit, I always learn something valuable during the process.

I strive to make every piece an experiment ---- a lesson in my own growth and development as an artist. That is where I find my success.