LeslieAnn's Page!

Hello! I'm an artist and author living in Portland, Oregon. I am a follower of Parmhansa Yogananda and practice Kriya Yoga. My spiritual practice greatly influences my work.

Using color and layers of texture, I offer the viewer freedom to interpret my work with inner vision. I strive to bring to light the reality that lives deep within, beyond what one can see with outer sight. The creative process does not end with the physicality of the painting, but is continued and enhanced through the eyes of each beholder into the creation of thoughts and emotions it brings out in them; this is a magic dance of connection.
Often I will paint over a canvas many times, creating layers and textures of richness and depth. A recurring symbol, a swath of glossy red, represents joy, power, energy and love; a recurring theme of “openings” symbolizes overcoming the individual’s feelings of separation with a spiritual metamorphosis, or awakening.

My last series, Paris Nights, combines my interpretation of ironies found in contemporary society with musings from my personal journals over the years. Reflections of life are painted into colors on canvas, contrasting the lighthearted with the serious. The captions are written in French. This is so that the viewer can experience my work in layers: the words can be part of the background, one step removed from the art, and then can be translated or not, as the viewer wishes, a tertiary comment on the mood of the painting. By doing this, I strive to evoke within the viewer a deeper, more personal involvement with the process and properties of my art.

If you want to see more, go to www.leslieannbutler.com.