Noos-letter - Featured Artist: Leah Mebane

[Photo of Artist]

Earth Art - Natural Oil Paintings on Canvas using hand-made, Natural Earth and mineral pigments and walnut oil.
www.FanningArt.com

What is your artform and/or vision?

My art is created with absolutely no plans or formulas or ideas. They come straight from the source, the great mystery. After years of painting, I can go right into a place of no thought and presence when I paint and something guides me to make the first mark. I just ask what color would make me feel good right now and I cover the canvas with that color. Then I make a mark and that mark tells me what the next mark should be and so on. I mostly listen to my body and what urges and gestures want to come out.

Almost every time, the images that emerge are very organic, circular, flowing, earthy. People comment that they look like either microscopic images (cells, etc.) or a macro view (planets, stars, nebulas, etc.). The colors and patterns that emerge come straight from nature, what I see in the wild and what feels good in my body.

What other artists inspire you?

Visiting museums, galleries and looking at photographs that inspire me. The Natural World - especially flowing water, rock formations, color, pattern, bark, leaves and seed pods close-up, etc.

What does the phrase "Time is Art" mean to you?

Time is like Art in that it is a mystery. It flows, changes, morphs and can be perceived in many ways. It affects everyone in completely different ways. I know very little about the time/ space continuum but I understand that in deep space, time is completely relative - twists, speeds up, slows down, is affected by other forces like gravity. This rings true for art as well. There’s nothing solid or expected or a solid formula to explain it all. And I don’t feel like we need to understand and explain it all. But just going with the flow and following the mystery of what I’m guided to create is my ultimate philosophy.