I work primarily with oil paint on wood and hardboard. Because I paint a new piece nearly every day, most of my works are small (between 4 x 4" and 12 x 12") and completed alla prima in one sitting. I’m a slow worker and use tiny brushes as I work section by section, often using the same brush for an entire painting. I find that small round brushes allow me to include many details while still imparting a textured, painterly effect that I enjoy. My process is similar to filling in a coloring book. I start with a semi-detailed pencil sketch and essentially color it in with paint. I use a different limited palette for all my paintings, typically using only three or four colors, plus titanium white.

Orange Marmalade no. 2, oil on cradled wood panel, 6 x 6" (15 x 15 cm)  This is one of a few pieces I’ve done featuring Bonne Maman jams and jellies. Growing up, we always had this brand of jelly in the house, so there’s an element of comfort. I also love painting these because of the texture, translucence and saturated colors. For this one in particular, I couldn’t get enough of the way the afternoon sun shone through the jelly and almost set it on fire. I loved how it cast all the orange into the long shadow. I think this piece encompasses the vivid colors and sense of nostalgia that I strive to capture in my work.

 

Most of my paintings are done from photos I’ve taken around town or still life compositions that I’ve arranged and photographed. I gravitate toward light, saturated colors and nostalgic or comforting subject matter. Beyond that, my work runs the gamut in terms of color palette, composition and subject matter. 

Cream Soda Suckers, oil on cradled wood panel, 5 x 5” (12 x 12 cm)  I paint a lot of dumdums. They allow for so many color options and pairings in a composition, cast interesting shadows, are just a little bit translucent, and (of course) they’re nostalgic for many people, myself included. In the 18 months that I’ve been painting, I’m pretty sure I’ve painted over 30 lollipop pieces and have no plans to slow down.

 

The biggest influence when choosing subject matter is my need for variety, as I don’t like to spend more than a day focused on the same thing. Before I set up my painting materials, I spend a few minutes going through my reference photos and looking for something I haven’t painted too recently. I try to commit to a subject quickly to avoid wasting time overthinking. Then, I pull up my photo on my iPad, turn on a podcast and get lost in the process for a few hours.  —

About the artist 

Leah Gardner

Leah Gardner is a self-taught painter who lives and works in Chicago, Illinois. She was born and raised in Bloomington, Indiana. Growing up, Gardner could often be found doodling and drawing, particularly portraits. Before she started painting she occasionally took pencil portrait commissions for extra cash. Gardner graduated from Indiana University in 2018 with degrees in journalism and political science. After graduating, she moved to Chicago to begin her career in digital marketing. Unfortunately, but also fortunately, Covid derailed all that. When she lost her corporate job in March of 2020 due to the pandemic, she picked up painting as a distraction and coping mechanism. After a few months of fiddling around and learning from many mistakes, she realized she was developing a knack for working with oils and began to amass a small social media following. This unexpected success inspired her to give painting a real shot as a career, something that probably never would have happened under normal circumstances. 

Since January 2021, Gardner has painted full time and completed at least one painting each day. She posts her paintings daily on Instagram and stays busy with commissioned and original work. Gardner’s work can be found on display at various businesses in the Chicago area. She recently participated in her first art fair and is eager to sign up for more. In her free time, she can be found walking her dog around Chicago or binge reading fantasy novels. Gardner’s paintings are available for sale on her website, leahgardner.art. Her work can also be found on her Instagram page, @leahgardner.art. For questions or commission inquiries, email her at info@leahgardner.art. 

Contact at
info@leahgardner.art
leahgardner.art