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March 14, 2025 72 mins

In this episode, I sit down with painter Leah Gardner, whose luminous still-life paintings capture the magic of light & form, and focus on composition. Leah shares how she pivoted from a career in marketing to becoming a full-time artist, the role that daily painting played in developing her skills, and how she navigates running an art business as a full time artist.

We also discuss the challenges of selling art online, the joys and struggles of social media, and why composition plays a bigger role in her work than the objects themselves. Plus, Leah shares insights into her process, from photographing references to making prints and engaging with her audience.

Whether you're an artist looking to refine your practice or someone curious about the life of a working painter, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration!

Want to watch instead of listen?
Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theopensketchbook
Watch Episode 4: Leah Gardner
https://youtu.be/s2oNIqAQ8jk

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HOST: Evan Kitson
https://evankitson.com
https://www.instagram.com/evan_kitson/

GUEST: Leah Gardner
https://leahgardner.art/
https://www.instagram.com/leahgardner.art/

BOOKS & ARTISTS MENTIONED:
Daily Painting: Paint Small and Often To Become a More Creative, Productive, and Successful Artist by Carol Marine
https://amzn.to/3DDD5HN *affiliate link

Zoey Frank
https://zoeyfrank.com/

Jeremy Miranda
https://www.instagram.com/jeremy_miranda_/

Christina Weaver
https://www.christinaweaver.com/

And Libby (free library app for audiobooks & ebooks)




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