Bio

A painter since childhood, Baby has always been drawn to the medium as a way of expressing themself. Influenced by artists like Mary Cassatt, Edvard Munch, and Lisa Yuskavage, Baby’s acrylic paintings focus primarily on the role of the feminine in the world. They borrow their subject matter from cinema, most often films directed by Jane Campion, Angela Schanelec, and Sofia Coppola. In their most recent work, Baby aims to capture grief as a reaction to death, though they are sure to keep the work whimsical and sometimes humorous in execution.

Where are you from? Did you grow up in a creative environment?

I grew up in Colorado. For the most part, it was a very free and creative environment. I was placed in art classes as early as I could hold a paintbrush. I was always highly privileged to be provided with the tools to grow as a painter.

Who or what has compelled and/or encouraged you to create your art?

My mother has always been my most significant creative supporter. She believes in me more than I believe in myself. When I feel like giving up on my practice, I remember how proud I make her, and that's always enough to keep me painting.

What is the key topic or issue that your work addresses?

The key topics my work addresses are grief and femininity.

What is your biggest source of inspiration?

My biggest source of inspiration is film. I work part-time at a movie theater and constantly watch films that end up informing my work. Jane Campion, Andrei Tarkovsky, and Lars Von Trier are my favorite filmmakers.

If you weren’t creating art, what would you be doing?

I'm fortunate to be able to create art because I'm not sure there is much else I could do. I'm not very good at verbally expressing myself, and I'm a terrible writer, so painting is the best way I know how to communicate.

Instagram: @leonardbabyart