Who I am….

I'm Lelia Dawn, an oil painter in Louisiana. I paint cypress swamps, egrets, pelicans and other birds, wildflowers, landscapes, and custom portraits of people and pets.

Creativity has always been a part of my genetic makeup. From a small child trying to create a Monet with crayons, to drawing, photography, decorating, furniture reinvention… gosh, the list goes on and on. Coming full circle back to painting, and actually falling in love with it this time, has been the best chapter in my “Artsy-Fartsy Universe” life book.

Creating special pieces of art that move people in some way, is what drives me. A Louisiana swamp, wildlife or beloved pet! I’m not always successful every time, but it’s such an amazing feeling when someone tells me that a piece I’ve created “speaks to them”. Art is exciting and it should move and inspire you.

As you can imagine, my road has taken me on all sorts of creative journeys, and I don’t regret any. Each one has helped to mold me into who I am artistically, whether that be flips, flops, failures or successes. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Each a valuable lesson learned and applied.

Some of my paintings take 100 hours or more, built up in layers of oil until the light feels right. Prints, apparel, and gifts featuring my work are in my Etsy shop. To ask about an original painting or a custom portrait, send me a message on the Contact page.