Artist Bio

Leslie Song is a visual artist living and working in St. Louis, Missouri.  She earned her BFA in painting and fibers from Truman State University in 2010 and her Master of Science in Textile Design from Thomas Jefferson University in 2013. Her artwork has been featured in exhibits in Missouri and New York, including Foundry Art Centre, Main Street Arts, and Third Degree Glass Factory. She was a recipient of the Denis Diderot A-I-R grant for an art residency at Chateau d’Orquevaux in Orquevaux, France. Leslie currently works as an art consultant, designing meaningful art programs for senior living, corporate, and healthcare spaces to enrich the places where people live, work, and heal.

Artist Statement

Much of my work is related around memory, emotion, and identity and the interconnectedness between the three. This exploration originally began with a fascination for neuroscience and the complexity of the brain. The work has now shifted from a science-based perspective into personal memories and emotional narratives.
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Recently, my body of work explores grief and healing. Rooms and interior spaces act as a personal and intimate world that houses memories and connect various images and concepts together. By documenting the internal struggle through my work, I have been learning to embrace the discomfort that emerges from allowing grief to resurface, to experience and accept the "shadows" in the healing process and finding freedom in sharing this journey with the viewer. 

When did you first begin creating art?

I first began making art as a young child, around 3-4 years old, and I loved dabbling in many different types of art – drawing, painting, origami, faux stained glass, needlepoint, and embroidery.

When did you first consider yourself to be an artist?

I considered myself an artist after receiving the opportunity for a solo exhibit in 2017. The years after graduating from school to 2017 were spent working in fields outside of art and slowly dabbling back into a studio practice.  

Who or what influences your practice?

In my practice, there are many artists I find inspirational. Currently, I’ve been looking at works by Nadia Waheed, Kiki Smith, and Lois Dodd. Nature also plays a consistent role in my work, from imagery to subtle textures and patterns.  
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Tell us about a specific moment in your career that you would consider a turning point.

In 2018, I attended an art residency at Chateau Orquevaux and met a number of amazing artists. It was here that made me motivated to take my art career seriously. Spending a month away from the distractions of everyday life and being around so much creativity and creative people prompted me to pursue dreams I had set away.
Where would you like to see your artwork go in the future?

I would love to experiment more and find a way to incorporate fiber art and mixed media back into my work.

www.lesliesong.com