Recently our Intown Office commissioned Leigh Blackistone for installations of her artwork. With abounding Southern graciousness, Blackistone infuses her special brand of passion, energy and creative sensitivity into everything she designs. We asked her to create pieces that would be in keeping with the upscale contemporary style of the office, and with master insight she delivered twelve original oils on canvas, each displaying surreal yet subdued scenery while still containing a colorful palette . Each work seeks to elicit a powerful emotional reaction from her audience.
By blending aspects of Expressionism, Fauvism, Impressionism, and Surrealism with her own unique style, she is redefining her craft with every brushstroke. Influenced from an early age by the creativity of Hieronymus Bosch, the tragic life of Vincent Van Gogh, the symbolism used by Georgia O’Keefe, the colors of Matisse and Chagall, the mastery of light by Caravaggio, the boldness of Jackson Pollack, and the fluidity of Salvador Dali – Blackistone credits her own mother as her greatest source of inspiration. Thanks to a shared love of nature and fond memories of her mother’s passion for gardening, the artist soon found her preferred subject matter as shown in her tree forms and sensual landscapes. It’s not unusual for exotic varietals from the garden she sows at her Atlanta home to flow forth from her paintbrush when in the studio.
After receiving dual degrees in Painting and Photography from the University of Georgia’s School of Art, Blackistone displayed her talent to critical acclaim at numerous shows in Athens and Atlanta.
One can almost witness her gratitude for her gift in every stroke she has placed on each work of art. She often employs unconventional means to achieve a distinctive flair – turning the canvas at different angles to learn what her next move might be, using mirrors to view her creation in new ways, surrounding herself with music from a custom playlist designed to match her mood. Her preferred medium of oils allows her to play with light and shadow, introduce unusual color blends and textures, and create movement and fluidity in still objects. Blackistone rarely has a plan when she first faces a blank canvas – which is difficult to fathom given such definitive results.
Blackistone revels in the history of her craft, studies the Masters, and continues to hone her talent through art classes and practice. She welcomes the opportunity to inspire others and make a little history of her own through her work. Her paintings can be seen gracing the walls of homes all over the South and at the gallery she now owns with her husband – Carter House Gallery & Framing in Alpharetta, Georgia.
For more information you may visit
www.carterhousegalleryandframing.com