Closing, emptying, choosing, changing my mind, choosing again, asking for help, planning, pacing, accelerating, slowing,letting go, packing, taking with, leaving behind, giving away, selling…

That’s part of what I’ve been up to…

I wanted to let you know. I am closing my studio. It’s a choice. It’s a choice I took a long time to make. I have loved my studio space. In June it will be exactly two years that I have been here. The space was difficult to choose. It was a big financial commitment. A risk. I needed it. At the time it was a courageous choice. To believe in myself so much. To take care of and prioritize my creative process enough to give myself expansive and very private space to explore….

The studio is SACRED space. I treated it as such. A portal to my own imagination. A place to process and EXPRESS myself freely. A place to get messy in all the ways that true creativity asks of you. Such a GIFT.

As you can imagine, choosing to close was very difficult and I didn’t rush it. In fact, it took me a good six months. I had a gnawing that it was time. My mind knew it. My bank account knew it. My body and soul knew it and my heart wanted time. I honored my hearts desire and paid for a space that I couldn’t physically make it to for 3 months…when I did on occasion show up, my heart didn’t feel the same anymore. It lived in me like a memory. A place that held me…ALL OF ME for so long and it clicked. I don’t need this anymore. I made the phone call that I had thought about for a long time, to my landlord and gave my notice.

Ahhhhh…to even put it in words for you all is another part of the completion. Feels so good to know in my cells and fibers that it’s over. I feel fortunate for this time I’m taking to close, very consciously.

I will take with me all the memories!!!

The painting, the dancing, screaming in the padded room with fellow artists, 2 solo shows, many classes, the list goes on…

Thank you to everyone who supported me so that I could keep the space as long as I did. Thank you to those of you who shared the space with me. To all the ones who came to classes and created in community and collaborated. It was a DREAM COME TRUE. YOU helped me realize and self-actualize!!!

Thanks to my biggest supporter of all, My beautiful HUSBAND. I am soooo LUCKY and BLESSED beyond measure to have him as a reflection of deep love, acceptance and BELIEF in me. He made my hats and came to my shows. My children as well. Thank you Q, G and O!! My boys helped me move in and they will help me move out.

Closings are the theme of this season of my life. I am accepting them with Grace and Trust. Because…when one door closes…you walk down the hallway to the next opening of a new door…and then…openings.

I will be reporting here from the Hallway in my next posts.

My studio is open for the next four weeks.

I am selling all my work at 50% off. I have never done a sale like this before…so, please share with your friends! Spread the word!! I’ll be taking appointments to come see and purchase the work. Please email me or DM via IG. I’ll do my best to accommodate you.

Here are some of the paintings that are left….

Best way to stay up to date on inventory is my IG account.

Sending love.

L E S L I E