Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Prescott.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I can recall one Christmas when my parents gave me one of those briefcases filled with markers, oil pastels, crayons, colored pencils, and watercolor palettes. That really first ignited my love for art. I would take cardboard boxes and turn them into spaceships and race cars. Fast forward, and I’m going to college to pursue an art degree when I became unexpectedly ill. I had a virus that destroyed my nerve endings and left me with partial paralysis. I could barely hold a pencil, and not knowing if my condition would last I changed degrees. A couple of years later after lots of physical therapy and medication, I got back what I had lost. At this point, I am now married and taking care of adults with special needs. I had the opportunity to go back to school for a Masters degree, but unfortunately, I was no longer qualified for Fine Art. About a year later I received my Masters in Art Ed, and not too long after that I was pregnant with my son. While giving birth to my son, I found out that I had ovarian cancer on the operating table during my c-section. Lots of tears and tests later, I am clear, as far as anyone can tell. The thought of cancer made me think about my love for art that I had once put aside, and I made a promise to myself that I would chase my dreams.
Please tell us about your art.
I am (would like to be) a Children’s Book Illustrator. Quite honestly it’s not what I originally set out to do. I don’t have a formal education in art, only how to teach it. I felt inadequate… like I couldn’t be an artist without the right training or something. After my cancer scare and giving birth to my son, I chose to put my insecurities aside and just start drawing… for drawing’s sake. For the love of it. To fail forward. I started putting my art on Instagram under an alias called Lady Pineapple. Maybe this is my being a millennial showing, but I began to become inspired by all the other artists on there. I found myself gravitating toward illustrationists and their work, thus being the catalyst for my newfound love for drawing digital children’s book illustrations. I also realized what an incredible platform it can be for perpetuating diversity, celebrating equality, and presenting a message of love to young minds in a world that needs it so badly.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
This is a funny question for an artist… what measures success really? Is it money? Maybe fame? Maybe it’s just the feeling of doing something you love. I guess for me it’s to keep trying even when I don’t feel like I am any good. To stay true to little Leah who once marveled at the possibility her briefcase full of art had given her. Sure, I’d like to feel like I made it by getting a book deal and being published. We live in this world where platforms such as Instagram inspire and slay us in the same breath. I don’t mean “ slay” in its modern form as…” yasss, slay girl!”. I mean when scrolling through your social media feed becomes toxic as comparison and feelings of not measuring up become all consuming. Maybe that’s just me… I am clinically depressed as my psychiatrist would tell you. In my heart I know I’m not alone in those feelings, chemically balanced or not. So I guess success to me looks like not giving up.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
You can see my mess of an Instagram and watch me fail forward @lady_pineapple_creates and my artist portfolio is for children’s book illustrations at www.leahprescottart.weebly.com. I am currently hoping to get contracted to illustrate a book via a publishing company or private contact.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1752 FM 1489 Brookshire, TX 77423
- Website: www.leahprescottart.weebly.com
- Phone: 832-314-5648
- Email: leahprescott13@yahoo.com
- Instagram: @lady_pineapple_creates
Image Credit:
Sonya Sofranko for the picture of me
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