Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Lee-Henell.
Monica, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I spent years as a commercial illustrator and had very much considered art “work”. It wasn’t until a trip to London, where I had the opportunity to illustrate live from the runway during London Fashion Week that I had a bit of an epiphany. Suddenly I looked around and found myself staying at a beautiful London town home, illustrating 15 drawings a day, surrounded by so many other fabulous creative people, designers, stylists, photographers and I had a shift in my spirit from art being something I just “did” to art being a deep privilege. When I returned home I began to explore a new way to express myself as an artist. Commercially, I had always had to work quickly and used fast mediums. Fast editorial deadlines forced me to work quickly and I was not satisfied with that work. I took this moment in my life to slow down, stop a lot of other projects and just try a new medium and a new way of painting. Allowing myself this time and taking the pressure off to produce something commercial gave birth to an entirely new path for my art and myself.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am a contemporary painter seeking to bridge the space between our perceived reality and the divine. I experiment with light and gestural brushstrokes to explore the abstract motifs in nature. In the Celtic tradition, there is a term referred to as “the thin space” when the mask of daily routine is lifted and you glimpse the divine. We have all had this happen, maybe when we experience a stunning sunrise, hear the laughter of children or look in the eyes of a baby who is just discovering his surroundings. These are sensory moments, full of mystery and grace. They are meant to awaken you. My job as an artist is to remain awake to these moments and to draw a viewer in to experience them in a new and unexpected way. I want to the work to feel intimate and to linger in the delicate space in your psyche.
I am currently exploring our relationship with some more traditional motifs in nature that represent what is considered beautiful. I want to explore the lusty landscape of botanicals that we often take for granted. Whether the work starts out as an abstract, gestural piece or a work that is more representative of some plant life I have brought into the studio, each painting is an attempt for me to express a different kind of visual language. Certainly, as a diehard extrovert, I have done plenty of talking, painting gives me an opportunity to speak about passion and the unknown in a new way.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
Certainly I think life has become easier for artist, people have much greater access to original art more so now than ever. I also believe that following other artists, can be quite inspirational. I do think galleries and artists need to work together in new and inventive ways. I feel like galleries are still a perfect setting to see art in person and that can be so much more impactful than seeing something online. I think cities that want to promote a thriving art community might consider new experiences that are being used in the fashion retail market, like pop up venues. Why couldn’t a city work with locals’ galleries and artists to open a public building for a short term pop up gallery?
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My work can be seen online at www.monicaleehenell.com and you can follow my art practice on Instagram @monicaleehenell and at the Candita Clayton Gallery in RI.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://monicaleehenell.com/
- Email: monica@monicaleestudios.com
- Instagram: @monicaleehenell
Image Credit:
Joy LeDec
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