The spirit of artistry

Laura Leeder expresses her love of the Creston Valley through her watercolours

1 of 4The artist strikes a pose with one of her creations. — Photo courtesy Laura Leeder

2 of 4The Power Of Pink, watercolour 2012. — Painting by Laura Leeder

3 of 4Miss Ambrosia, watercolour, 2011. — Painting by Laura Leeder

4 of 4Cherry Delight, watercolour, 2010. — Painting by Laura Leeder

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Once a weekend painter working in Edmonton, Laura Leeder came to Creston seven years ago to start the next chapter of her life. She spent some time beautifying her new home, and in the past four years she has been able to focus on her watercolour paintings and carve a niche for herself in the Creston arts community. She has worked closely with Emmie Roelofse of Creston Professional Framing & Art Gallery, in developing a professional line of limited edition giclée prints—and she has set up an online store where she sells her prints and greeting cards.

"I came to paint watercolour quite by accident," said Leeder. "My husband had painted in oils many years ago as a teenager and expressed a desire to try again. Planning to surprise him, I went out to purchase a set of oil paints, brushes and canvases. However, the price of this gift so shocked me that I bought a cheap set of student grade watercolours instead. As you can imagine, he was not impressed with this gift and they sat unused for a long time. At some point, I decided to give them a try and while the results were less than satisfactory, that initial meeting of water, colour and paintbrush had me hooked!"

Leeder finds herself entranced by the Creston Valley, with its agricultural bounty providing ample inspiration for her still-life pieces. She creates vibrant work depicting everything from floral arrangements and fruit displays, to her elegant teacup series. This series was created for the Creston Museum's annual fundraising tea, and Leeder donated a percentage of her sales to the museum. She also painted a piece for the Pink Garden Tea, an event (organized by Debbie Graham of Orchard Glass) that raises money for local families that have been affected by cancer. This year the money raised by the tea will go toward the purchase of a new mammography machine for Cranbrook's East Kootenay Regional Hospital.

A great place to do business

While the beauty of the valley is what brought Leeder and her husband to Creston, they have found the warm welcome they received to be an even larger reward.

"It’s the friendly, small-town atmosphere of the people that keep us here," she said. "I wake up to the sound of birds every morning and a view of the mountains. I can’t think of a better way to start my day as I head downstairs to work in my studio."

She continually develops her business to adapt to the ever-changing demands of today's market.  The time required to create work, and then promote it on the Internet in various ways, can be overwhelming, but Leeder has taken it all on with a positive attitude.

"As a professional artist I am a small business entrepreneur and wear several hats," said Leeder. "Some days are spent only on marketing with no actual time in the studio. Luckily I also enjoy the challenge of learning the business and marketing side, as it too is creative. I’m learning to accept that there will always be challenges and sacrifices to be made on a daily basis. The joy I get from painting and sending that painting off to a new home makes it all worthwhile and keeps me focused and positive. That and I have two very special artist friends who help me keep things in perspective."

Honourable achievements

As more people see Leeder's work, more fall in love with her images. She has been invited as a guest artist to take part in the Images professional art group show this November, and her teacup painting Miss Ambrosia was chosen for the cover of the 2012 Columbia Basin Culture Tour.  Her greeting cards have even been featured as party favours in the May/June 2012 issue of U.S. publication Tea Time magazine.

"Probably my proudest achievement so far is the Pink Garden Tea project," said Leeder. "The process of creating a painting specifically for this event challenged and moved me in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve donated a limited edition print of this painting to be auctioned off at the Pink Garden Tea held on July 27 and again on July 28."

(For more information on this event, see Laura Leeder's blog.)

Leeder's work is currently shown at the Creston Professional Framing and Art Gallery, the Fisher Peak Art Gallery in Cranbrook and at several other locations throughout the Kootenays. It can also be seen at ArtWorks Gallery in Sandpoint, Idaho.

"New paintings and events are posted on my blog," said Leeder. "You will be able to purchase small paintings, prints and greeting cards on my website in the next few weeks: www.lauraleeder.com or on Etsy. I am also very excited about a new upcoming venture with Tigz Designs of Creston, B.C. (Hint: their new line of teas and my teacup greeting cards.)"

In the fall, she will start accepting commissions again for paintings, so if you have a favourite mug or teacup you would like to see brought to life in one of her exquisite paintings, contact her at 250-402-6599 or send her an email.