Meet Cover Artist Leslie Cramer
"As far back as I can remember, I have been creating in some form or another. Being from an artistically-inclined family, there were always art supplies around but, whenever I felt like trying something new (and if the materials I wanted weren't readily available), I went about obtaining them by any means necessary in quite a determined way."
"Even though my high school art teacher seemed bazaar at the time, by giving us projects for the year with absolutely no explanation and no instructions, only in retrospect can I now appreciate his less-than-conventional approach to teaching art. So, with no questions asked, we were forced to research topics, and create them to his expectations. To this day, terms like 'chiaroscuro,' 'analogous,' and 'monochromatic' are forever ingrained in my brain, thanks to Mr. Reichart."
"Over the years, I have been part of group shows, one-woman exhibits, and juried exhibitions but my first major accomplishment in the "formal art world" came from winning Third Place in the Arizona State Fair Arts Competition. The funny part about this was that, while I lived in the desert, this painting was of a Caribbean scene, along with the obligatory palm trees/ocean/sailboats while everyone else around me was painting cactuses, adobe houses, and horses! I guess the island girl in me was going to emerge, sooner or later."
"I remember clearly, my dear departed friend, artist Maria Henle saying "Paint what you know; paint what you feel; paint what you love." Her words resonated, and now I paint what I enjoy and, luckily for me, people who purchase my work seem to feel that vibe. My tropical fish on driftwood seems to appeal to many, as does my more-recent works on canvas, with bold, colorful borders, often of local or private homes, then personalized with things like pets and plants.
"I am well represented at The Caribbean Center for the Arts in Frederiksted, and with a current show at Angry Nates on the Christiansted boardwalk. I also do commission work, which I really enjoy, tailoring what the client wants to my style and expression."
"After thirty years on St. Croix, I'm now living on Tortola and teaching art at Cedar International School. I exhibited at The Art Show at Canegata in Gallows Bay last month and will donate a large piece to the annual auction at Cedar International School this spring.
For more information, call 284-541-6657 or email wine340@gmail.com
