Clouds Burst Over Aviles

Oil by Leigh Slayden

A lifelong artist, Leigh grew up in an artistic family. Her mother painted abstractly, and her father was a self-taught portraitist, while she and her siblings dabbled in pastel, ink, ceramics, and paint. Leigh spent years mastering oil painting and, like the impressionists of the 19th Century, enjoys sharing her process.

On social media, she posts the transformation from puzzling first marks to the emergence of the final painting. Her art comes to life with distinctive brushstrokes and colors mixed on the brush or the canvas. In St. Augustine, she paints the historical architecture, ruins, and the beauty of nature.

Leigh’s work is found in private collections across the US and beyond. Locally, her work is often featured in juried shows at the St. Augustine Art Association.

“With rain in the forecast, I focused on the row of art galleries whose steep rooftops send fountains into the streets during a storm. I was not disappointed — the skies opened, and I painted the fountains live on scene!”

Artwork purchased online can be picked up AFTER the exhibit ends on November 1, 2024 from the St. Johns County Administration Building (located at 500 San Sebastián View, St. Augustine, FL 32084).