Leigh’s artworks are known for exploring human experience through figurative art.
Only a handful of innovators and artists worldwide have been able to walk the talk, push boundaries and inspire positive change through their artworks. These highly driven, passionate and determined professionals never cease to amaze people with their visionary ideas and innovations and all they create, thriving on their innate skills and talent as artists. However, a few rare gems have been able to stun the world with their excellence, much like how Leigh Witherell has been doing consistently as a one-of-a-kind contemporary figurative artist.
Leigh Witherell has remained determined to explore human experiences through figurative art, one of the crucial factors that has helped her stand apart from the rest in the industry. The Florida, US-based artist works primarily with acrylic on canvas. She is best known for her compelling ability to capture scenes of human emotion through contemporary compositions, often reflecting profound and intimate moments. Her work delves into authentic intimacy and explores the most private moments of the human experience. Her artworks evoke profound emotional and provocative responses as her paintings are often characterized by organic, earthy-tone colour palettes and dynamic brushwork.
For years, art has been a medium for expressing emotions, telling stories and reflecting society’s truths. For Leigh, it is also a means of grappling with personal loss, societal issues and the beauty of human resilience. Through her artworks, she brings to life the power of vulnerability, human connection and untold narratives. Both triumph and tragedy have shaped her journey.
Her incredible work thus far in her career has received notable recognitions, including The Women’s Essence Award, multiple first-place and honourable mentions in prestigious exhibitions and features in numerous national and international art magazines. Most recently, her piece ‘The Lovers Kiss’ was highlighted by Homiens and shortlisted for a major art prize.
Despite Leigh’s recognition and success in her career, her path has been marked by profound personal loss. The tragic passing of her adult daughter in a car accident on April 8, 2021, created a shift in her artistic voice. The grief in her life compelled her to infuse her work with unfiltered authenticity. This helped her make her compositions not just visually striking but deeply evocative. She takes inspiration from the resilience of the human spirit. Despite life’s tragedies, she finds solace in creating pieces that resonate with others on a deeply personal level. When art connoisseurs, art lovers, collectors and others connect with her work and find meaning in the emotions she captures through art, she considers that moment a validation of her artistic purpose. Taking inspiration from human experiences, she brings forward narratives that might otherwise go unspoken.
When asked what she loves the most about her work, Leigh Witherell says that she loves seeing her figures develop and change as a composition comes to life. She highlights, “I lose myself in these moments in my studio, usually surrounded by my music and at least one of my beloved three cats asleep in the kitty bed.” She adds that she doesn’t feel afraid to paint what she sees happening, no matter the controversy that may surround it. She firmly believes that artists are the visual recorders of society, and their work will serve as records for future generations of what life was like. She paints nudes in an atmosphere of extreme censorship in the US, which makes it challenging for her to show her work. However, her artworks are in acrylics, which bring vitality and vibrancy to the complex subject matter, making it beautiful and subtle, but the art world still favours oils. Thus, she hopes to show that acrylics are fine art as well.
Leigh Witherell envisions becoming an internationally known artist who inspires conversations on subjects that society would rather overlook and inspire meaningful conversations.
