Skip to main content

Leanne Baird

Leanne Baird is a visual artist residing in the Peterborough area. Her background involves a variety of experiences that, all combined, informs her particular style of painting. These experiences range from a Fine Arts degree from the University of Toronto to landscape design; from studies in process art making and mandala art, to teaching the craft itself to adults and children. Developing her intuition for her surroundings, she has immersed herself in the study of yoga and of ancient Indian scriptures.

Baird’s main painting focus is on landscapes which she considers to be both ‘a study of the physical and the metaphysical.’ Inspired by the natural world, she perceives the consciousness in all things and is particularly attracted to the consciousness in trees. Remarking on the cover art, she says, “To me it expresses the illumination of consciousness…the trees seem to be lit up from within.”

Her influences include such artists as Lawren Harris, Emily Carr and Norval Morrisseau, all of whom, Baird notes, ‘blend their artistic world with their spiritual world.’ In her artist statement, she continues that with ‘expanded awareness, a powerful silence is perceived underlying the creative energy of nature, and within the silence, an intrinsic vibration of light.’ We can all relate to times when we have seen nature so raw and beautiful that it takes our breath away. One can see why artists like Baird spend so much time in the great outdoors – it is awe inspiring. Painting is a way for her to share her spiritual perceptions with the world.

She says, “When the nice weather comes, it is hard for me to stay in the studio! I am out looking for new subject matter and immersing myself in the calming and healthy energy of nature.” Baird works with acrylic paint and attributes the evolution of her style to this medium. “It is said that the great thing about acrylic paint is that it dries fast. The bad thing about acrylic paint is that it dries fast… the essential quality of this paint opens up the artist to other means of expression.”

In her studies, Baird has explored the sacred art and geometry of mandalas, and, as teacher, has shared this experience through workshops with others, encouraging them to awaken to their own creative powers. Mandala painting ‘can be a meditative process as well as a skill building process.’ She adds that teaching allows the artist to focus on the basics again, and to grow in their own creative process.

Baird’s paintings have been part of many exhibitions in the Kawartha’s, she has been represented at the Buckhorn Fine art Gallery and she has been featured on HGTV. Although teaching has been a large part of this artist’s experience, she is currently focusing on her paintings where she can share her love of the natural world on canvas.

If you would like to see more of Leanne Baird’s work, please visit www.leannebaird.com. She will be participating in the 32nd annual Kawartha Autumn Studio Tour running from September 24-25. www.agp.on.ca/studiotour

©Janet Jarrell 2016



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

One Day I Saw Ty Conn

(This is being recalled from a very young mind...) When my father would begin telling a story from his childhood, he would begin with “When I was a little girl…” which would cause an uproar of high pitched objections from my sisters and myself. He would simply smile and continue on, as he now had our complete attention. I started this post at the beginning of November of this year when thoughts of my father return annually on the anniversary of his birthday. This story, however, is not about my father… When I was a little girl, I lived in a small house on Pine Street with my father, mother and three sisters. Ours was a busy, full house. Lisa was the oldest, very beautiful and very bossy. Pam was next, also very beautiful and we envied her fashion sense. I was the third in the line of my sisters, a middle child that cried a lot, made funny faces and was very comfortable at the centre of attention. My little sister, Joanne, enjoyed the status of being the baby in the family. She wa...
16 comments
Read more

Keith Cornell - Artist

Madawaska Church Claire Connolly, Assistant Manager Arts on King and Queen, describes Keith's work as 'Ontario, rugged landscape at it’s best'. Keith Cornell was raised in the small town of Uxbridge, Ontario. His father died during the war when Keith was very young, leaving his mother to raise him alongside his two brothers. Growing up in this quaint little town tucked beside farmland and beautiful forests, Keith would begin his life work painting everything around him. He recounts time and again a solid memory he has a very young boy. The Canadian artist David Milne had set up his easel to paint a scene in Keith’s neighbourhood, and the boy watched with fascination as the artist worked plein air. The affect of this experience is timeless. Keith did not pick up the brush and start painting right away, but that time was coming. Late Afternoon Go Home Bay During his high school years, Keith met his future wife, Karen.   For his sixteenth birthda...
2 comments
Read more

San Murata and the The Truth about Art

Skating on St Lawrence san-murata.com Anyone who meets San Murata knows that he is someone whom you won’t soon forget. Lively, charismatic and honest; he is certainly a true reflection of his art. He currently lives in the small historic town of Grafton where he loves to paint the beautiful Northumberland countryside. He also enjoys spending time in Quebec during the colder months to paint. The painting on the front cover is a scene from winter, one of the things San says he likes most about Canada, particularly in Quebec. San grew up in Japan, with admittedly a stricter social system, which encourages all children to work hard in school and go to university. San’s father was a banker and wanted his children to be professionals, so San studied at the University of Musashi in Tokyo, and although he says he wasn’t the best student, he graduated with a degree in Economics. He, too, worked at a banking job but it was always his dream to one day be an artist. In the late 60’s...
Post a Comment
Read more