Happy Friday to you all, and big love to all those sweethearts celebrating ♥Valentines Day♥. I haven't much planned for this weekend, but I am hoping to try making a spelt flour and almond banana bread which I will share with you in the weekend blog post.
This week it is my great pleasure to introduce to you all a new Friday Friend and local artist, the gorgeous Leanne of Le Papier. I first met Leanne at Summer Street Fair in 2013, and I was instantly in awe with her extreme creativity and the variety of beautiful things she creates.
Browsing through the Le Papier Photo Albums, I came across some pieces that I just had to share. The first piece that caught my eye is "begin", a 20x20cm Encaustic on board. Simply stunning and unique!
The second ( and timely) is this trio of ceramic hearts, ♥ j'adore!
Dear readers, time now for you to put your feet up, enjoy a cup of tea, and take some time to read the inspirational story of Le Papier in Print.
Happy Valentines Day to you all ♥, wishing you a wonderful weekend xo♥
Le Papier in Print
Who is behind "Le Papier"?
My name is Leanne and I live in Nornalup on the South Coast of Western
Australia. I launched my creative business formally in February of 2010 but I have
been creating for as long as I can remember is one way or another.
My artistic journey began…
It all started professionally in 1997 when my husband and I were living on
our Beef farm in the South West. I was mother to two energetic young boys and
decided to set up my own Ceramic Studio in the old sheds at our property. I had
been attending Ceramic classes socially for a couple of years and decided to
enrol in a Duncan Certified Ceramic Teaching course in Perth and I then became a
qualified ceramic art instructor. From there I ran several classes each week at
"Brentwood Designs" on our farm and spent many days and nights loading and
unloading the kilns of both my own work and that of my students. This continued
successfully for a couple of years (during which I had my third child) and I
loved the idea of practicing art daily.
From there I began to experiment with paint on canvas as well. I found the
therapeutic qualities of painting very valuable and a great stress release from
daily life and motherhood.
My other passion at this time was paper crafts. i became addicted to all
things paper!! Scrapbooking, card making, paper toile etc. (as you can see, I
don't stay focused on any one thing for very long !!!).
In 2004 we moved to the glorious South Coast in Walpole where my husband
and I ran a Caravan Park for six years. During this time painting was my
release. I found that being surrounded by so much beauty in the Walpole/Nornalup
area acted as daily inspiration. I took part in a couple of local exhibitions in
Walpole and Peaceful Bay whilst we were continuing to run our busy Park.
With the sale of our park in February 2010 came the launch of my art
business full time: and so began the "Le Paper" journey. I focused mainly on
developing my painting skills but often found myself drawn back to paper as a
medium I loved. This is why a lot of my early works incorporate collage using
found papers.
I decided that it became quite heart wrenching to part with my original
works so began scanning all completed work to re print and use as Art Prints,
Art charms, cards and my OWN designs in my collage work. I started attending the
Walpole, Denmark and Balingup market days. I also attended a brilliant Painting
Retreat in Nanga which was run by the infamous Flora Bowley of Portland, Oregon
in the US.
Then in 2012 I enrolled full time to study Visual Art at the Great Southern
Institute of technology. Over the next two years I studied Art History,
Installation, Printmaking, Ceramics, Drawing, Digital Media and Painting.
During this time I also exhibited in the Southern Art and Craft Trail
(2011, 2012 and 2013.) I also was very fortunate to be accepted to exhibit in
the 30 x 30 Artists challenge in Darlington in the September of 2012 which was
facilitated by the Treetops Montessori School.
Another very cool part of what I was up to over the previous two years was
being involved in four very successful PoP uP Galleries in Albany showcasing my
paintings, prints and art blocks as well as the Summer Street Vintage Fair in
2013 selling my paper crafts and Art Prints.
NOW I have come home to Nornalup to continue working on Commissioned works
for a couple of very special clients whilst continuing to grow and develop my
professional Art business.
What inspires me most is….
1. Great magazines…I am TOTALLY a magazine junkie. My favourites are Molly
Makes, Frankie, Home Beautiful, Real Living, Flow and Somerset Studio.
2. Great blogs like The Design Files, Kelly Rae Roberts, Pixie Campbell,
Heather Nette King, Mati Rose …… the list could go on for days.
3.PINTEREST...of course. Trolling through this would have to be my all time favourite addiction (better than chocolate right ♥) Actually I recently had a fellow art friend say to me that she was going to have to stage a "Pintervention" due to my time wasting addiction!!!
4. My daily surroundings continue to inspire me too. Finding beauty in the
everyday things such as birds, trees, flowers, food, the seasons and the colours
that around us is really easy to do.
5. Finally, but certainly not least in many ways, are my beautiful family.
They all inspire me EVERY day. Their sense of adventure, hard work and fun keep
me buoyant and inspired always.
The mediums I currently work with are ….
Golden fluid acrylics on canvas.
Encaustic paints on board (yummy).
Paper in every form.
My favourite piece I have ever created…
That would be a very hard choice …. but having to choose one would mean
that my "dragonfly" piece that I completed for the 2012 Art Trail would be it.
It was a large scaled acrylic on canvas work which incorporated old sewing
pattern paper and was overlaid with a huge paper cut stencil piece of a
dragonfly. AND YES, it sold on Opening night xx
Upcoming exhibitions/events….
I am currently showing my work at the very popular Vancouver Cafe in
Albany. I was thrilled to be invited to exhibit there :)
I will also be painting "in-situ" at this Years Walpole Art Prize and their "Art in Action" weekend. Held on the 1st and 2nd of March in Walpole, Western
Australia.
My future plans/dreams/aspirations are…
To develop my Art Practice this year by attending some workshops in Perth
and the Eastern States.
To get my Business Plan and time management programme sorted
(ambitious).
To continue with my plans to set up my Inaugural "Art Retreat for Women"
here at my home in Nornalup. Stay tuned.
Leanne xx
Dear readers, would you like to see more? Here is how you can connect:
Visit and read the Le Papier Blog here:
and become a follower on Facebook here:
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