About the artist
About the Artist: Leah Lawless-Smith Early Life & Roots in Observation
Leah Lawless-Smith is a native Texan whose childhood was shaped by movement, exploration, and an early fascination with the visual world. Born in East Texas, she spent her formative years living across the Southwest—California, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, and Texas—as her family searched for stability and opportunity. Each relocation made her quieter and more introspective, but it also sharpened her powers of observation.
Nature became her constant companion. Leah spent hours studying the colors and textures around her, finding peace in the patterns of leaves, the shimmer of water, and the dramatic shifts of light across landscapes.
A pivotal moment came in elementary school when she learned she was nearsighted. At ten years old she received her first pair of glasses, and the world snapped into focus. Trees suddenly had individual leaves. Colors seemed brighter, edges crisper, and details more meaningful. This transformation ignited a profound appreciation for visual clarity and color that would become central to her art.
Discovering Art as a Calling
Even as a young girl, Leah found herself drawn to drawing, painting, and crafting. With several moderately talented artists in her family, creativity felt natural. But it was in high school that her talent truly flourished. Teachers recognized her sensitivity to color and composition, encouraging her to pursue art seriously.
Leah went on to earn both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Fine Arts, working her way through college with determination and a deepening commitment to her craft. After graduation, she briefly entered the world of commercial art, working at two companies before realizing that her passion lay not only in creating but also in teaching.
She returned to school to earn her teaching certificate, a choice that led to a rewarding career spanning more than twenty-four years. Leah has taught art at both public schools and the college level, guiding thousands of students in discovering their own creative voices.
A Decade of Artistic Evolution
While Leah has always maintained her own studio practice, the past decade marks a profound deepening of her painting career. She has developed a distinctive style using color-water-flow acrylics, a technique that blends translucency, movement, and bold color.
Her paintings are created in cohesive series—typically 20 to 25 pieces at a time—centering on themes such as:
- Portrait icons
- Automobiles
- Architectural details
- Flowers
- Symbolic motifs
Although her subjects vary, Leah’s true focus is the way color transforms when touched by light and shadow. Her surfaces play with texture, patterns, and layers of translucency. Color, for Leah, is more than visual—it is emotional. It conveys mood, memory, and a sense of joy.
Color as Emotion
Growing up during the vibrant 1980s, Leah was immersed in bold hues from toys, fashion, music videos, and advertising. These saturated colors, filled with energy and optimism, helped lift her through a difficult childhood. They became a source of emotional resilience—a reminder of light in darkness.
Today, she channels those same uplifting colors into her artwork. Her paintings are designed to reconnect viewers with joy, energy, and a sense of well-being.
Influences & Artistic Lineage
Leah’s earliest lessons in art came at age twelve when she studied with a watercolorist. The delicate transparency of watercolor left a permanent mark on her style. Although she now works primarily with acrylics for their speed and boldness, she still seeks that luminous, see-through quality in her layers.
Stylistically, Leah draws inspiration from:
- Fauvism, with its expressive color and fearless texture
- Vincent van Gogh, whose brushwork and emotional intensity echo through her compositions
- The Impressionists, whose movement and color capture fleeting moments in time
Like the Fauves—nicknamed Les Fauves, or “Wild Beasts”—Leah embraces color as a powerful emotional force. Her work bridges historical influences with a modern, deeply personal approach.
A Life Inspired by Travel, Gardens & Everyday Beauty
Beyond the studio, Leah is an avid gardener and traveler. She finds inspiration in the textures of gardens, the architecture of unfamiliar cities, and the fleeting experiences that arise while exploring new places. These captured moments—photographs, sketches, memories—become seeds for future paintings.
She is also passionate about symbolism in art and architecture. Leah loves embedding meaning into her work, creating pieces that can be “peeled like an onion,” revealing deeper layers of content. Symbols, visual metaphors, and historical references enrich her compositions for viewers who enjoy visual discovery.
Author, Illustrator & Storyteller
Leah’s creative passion extends beyond painting. She combined her artistic talent with her love of writing to create a richly imagined book exploring the local legend of the Ellis County Courthouse. Through carefully researched symbols, intricate illustrations, and woven stories blending fact with fiction, she brings the courthouse’s carved characters to life.
This book stands as a testament to her dedication to both visual and written storytelling—an accomplishment she holds with great pride.
A Continuing Journey
Today, Leah continues to grow as an artist, educator, and storyteller. She is constantly experimenting, refining her techniques, and exploring new ideas. Whether through color-drenched canvases, symbolic imagery, or imaginative narratives, Leah invites viewers into a world where emotion, history, and beauty meet.
Her work encourages us to look closely, observe deeply, and rediscover wonder—just as she did when she first saw the world clearly at ten years old.
