Pathway of Hope by Leanne Thomas
I have known Leanne for years and have always admired her precise work as a practicing artist based in Sydney, Australia. She depicts the intricate beauty of flowers and plants in such a way that you experience the artistic elegance, through feelings of peace as you immerse yourself her considered brushstrokes.
A few weeks ago, I asked Leanne to write a little piece on her pathway into creativity and I as I read her piece (though she doesn’t describe herself as a writer) I got a great sense of hope, in such a way that I felt led to title this blog ‘Pathway of Hope’. It feels like a good fit at the beginning of the new year, to spur on those who may have given up on their creativity or need a little encouragement. It seems that sometimes in the deep of the mundane, sparks can fly again. Enjoy...
“My dinosaur drawing was pinned to the wall and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. My year 2 teacher, Miss Clear, had walked the room to choose a couple of drawings to hang on the classroom wall for the week and mine was one of them. Something about this moment sparked a small flame on the inside of me—a passion for the arts, for making and creating that has not been extinguished, even through the hardest of times.
“That same spark remained deep in me and at the end of my schooling, the spark led me to university to study graphic design and photography. Work followed my study a variety of industries including publishing, advertising, fashion and eventually I went on to become an Art Director for a large cosmetics company. I loved it - the thrill of coming up with ideas, pulling together photographic shoots with a team of models and other creatives to create a look for a client. It was hugely fulfilling.
“Creativity was in my blood. However I only fully realised how important my creativity was when it had to take a back seat in my life. In my late 20s I got married, fell pregnant with my first child and left my job on maternity leave. Honestly, it was both wonderful and difficult all at the same time. My, firstborn, my daughter was the greatest gift. And whilst I was creating memories and building my new life as a nurturer, I wasn’t actually making anything. In fact, I didn’t end up ever returning to my art director job. Little did I realise that God was gently shifting and nudging me in a slightly new direction.
“One afternoon my husband arrived home carrying the most interesting bag of fruit - plums and jackfruit, grapes and lemons. The colours made my heart skip a beat. I needed to somehow capture them—I cleared the table dusted off my Derwent pencils and drew them. Creativity flooded back into my life, but in a different form. That spark reignited and I started visiting art exhibitions with my large coloured pencil drawings. Shortly after, I found a studio school in Redfern that took on 20 professional level students and taught techniques and principles of the old masters—oil painting. The spark was fanned into flames.
“I’ve been painting now for 17 years. The years have flown by as do the days. But when you put your hand to something you’re passionate about there’s no clock watching. I’m living my dreams, even if sometimes the path takes me via the valley floor, it’s the passion to create and make that compels me to keep walking through the valley. Using my hands to create what’s in my heart or what I can see in my mind brings the greatest fulfilment.”
Follow Leanne on Instagram @leannemthomas
