old country house blog

lesli devito paintings – Ginger Pie and Being a ARTIST

lesli devito paintings
Ginger Pie
30″ x 40″
 I love the colors in this painting…the deep pinks, the rusts and the golds and even oranges…. I love color. I love to paint.

 I get asked all the time “How did you get started painting? Did you go to ART School? Did you always want to make a living as an ARTIST”
      NO, I did not go to Art School, though over the years I took a few Art Classes, all of which I quit. I had a hard time being told HOW to paint, or HOW to draw…the so called “RIGHT” way. 
It was not for me. 
Though I confess, at times I do wish I had a technique to fall back on…..that being said, after painting DOZENs upon dozens  of paintings….I have developed my OWN technique. 

      I think, in life, we have many Chapters. 
 Turning Points..
like
“do I go to school?”
 “do I get married?” 
“do we have kids?”
“do we move?”
Forks in the Road.
Like that game…
“You are in the forest and you get to a fork in the road…which way do you go…RIGHT OR LEFT?” The choices that we make at each juncture can change everything
     When my Mom passed away in 2007, I was a bit lost. Not even JUST a Bit lost…VERY lost. …
 As a Mom of 3 young kids, there was little time for me to process the loss.  I looked for books, journals, something I could relate to, to help me navigate that first Rudderless year. 
I even tried to start a blog. 
In the end, I will admit, I went a little numb.  
Whatever life energy I could muster up,  
I saved for my kids and I just put one foot in front of the other each day.  
In a bit of a fog, I got through it. FINALLY… 
Eventually I wanted to “feel” again. I wanted to be excited to wake up and take on the day again. 

   Right about at the One Year anniversary of my Mom’s death, we switched our kids from a small Private School, which was far from our house and required a substantial commute to the Public schools right down the street….putting money back in our pockets and time back in our days. I now had more time on my hands, and with a little more of my creative energy back ….I took on the task of redecorating and repainting my Dining room…which of course made the Living room look lousy and so and so on and led to my painting the entire interior of my 3,500 sq ft home in 4 months. 
I ended up with TONS of left over paint, and after doing a few paintings here and there as gifts, and seeing a friends’ Cow painting and thinking “I could do that!”…I found myself putting on my first ART show in the Spring of 2010…..!!!
   
Its a funny thing…being an ARTIST. I mean, you don’t become an ARTIST, I think you either are one or you are not. 
My sole motivation for painting is the JOY it brings me, the peace in my soul and the rest is all Gravy. There is no recipe for success and definitely NOT for success as an ARTIST….except ONE thing….
Be Yourself…Just do what you LOVE…with LOVE…and the rest will either happen or NOT. 
You have NO control over that part. 
So you BETTER love it!
HAVE A GREAT DAY?
WHAT IS YOUR PASSION?

please email me for pricing…paypal and credit cards accepted

7 thoughts on “lesli devito paintings – Ginger Pie and Being a ARTIST

  1. Words of wisdom. “Do what you LOVE”.

    I love your paintings. They are fabulous. One of these days I shall have one to hang in my house.

  2. What a beautiful painting Lesli!!! Simply stunning – wonderful story too!!! Very encouraging. Thanks so much for sharing! I posted a great quote today that I feel like goes hand in hand with your message 🙂

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