Join Valentine and Atlanta, Georgia based, Leslie Anne as they dig into the behind the scenes. Leslie shares about the benefits of staying open and seeking collaboration with other visual and performing artists, and trusting what feels good. Her intuition leading her into claiming her unique space as she creates her art world. Leslie Anne is a self-taught contemporary artist based in Atlanta, Georgia by way of East St. Louis, Illinois. Leslie describe's her work as emotionally expressive, colorful, conceptual, and Afrofuturistic. Her art is inspired by prominent themes in her own life, like motherhood, race, relationships, gender, and personal expression. She uses bold contrasting elements to create interesting mixed media works; usually featuring bold colors, glitter, and visions of the sky like clouds and stars. By looking at the art, her hope is that you will find a sense of interconnectedness with all. And ultimately explore more of yourself.  Making art is like opening a portal and letting pure creation manifest. I am intentional about centering Black people and women in my pieces as a way to celebrate our culture and beauty with nuance. I want to show Black subjects as inherently valuable and worthy of being admired, which is often why my work incorporates crowns and gold elements. My art is as much about the process as it is the physical piece, as creating art opens the space for me to explore myself. I create self portraits as a way to honor my feelings and memorialize that specific time in my life. I'm inspired by the beauty and personal expression of Black people. My references are often individuals from my own life or intriguing images of Black subjects that inspire me in some way. My intention is to give the subject honor, express emotion, and showcase their humanity. In addition to painting, I create collage style digital artwork, incorporating photography, color, glitter, and lots of layers.   @myleslieanne @bellavalentinaart @artmumseurope @artmumsunited ​ Support the show